National Survey Shows Majority of Americans Continue to Use Antibiotics Inappropriately
| Release date: March 24, 2005 |
Media contact: |
Barbara Layne |
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Pennsylvania Medical Society |
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(800) 228-7823, ext. 1230 |
(Washington, DC) — While most Americans say they would be concerned if they were told that today’s antibiotics would not be effective in the future, many continue to use antibiotics inappropriately. Today, the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH), a not-for-profit alliance of leading health plans and networks, announced these and other survey findings as part of its national Save Antibiotic Strength initiative to promote appropriate antibiotic use.
Experts say that inappropriate use, including using antibiotics to treat viral infections such as a cold or the flu, can inadvertently contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Survey findings
CAQH survey results reveal that 60 percent of Americans mistakenly believe that antibiotics are just as or more effective than over-the-counter (OTC) medications in treating viral infections, such as a cold or the flu, when antibiotics have no effect on such conditions at all. OTC medications are effective in treating the symptoms associated with viral infections.
Additional findings include:
- 83 percent of Americans say that they would be concerned if they were told that today’s antibiotics would not be effective in 10 years.
- 78 percent of Americans had heard about antibiotic resistance, and of those, 94 percent say they are concerned about the problem.
- Demands for antibiotics from patients, improper antibiotic use by the public, and over-prescribing of antibiotics by doctors are the most cited reasons for the growth of antibiotic resistance.
The good news is that compared to findings of a CAQH survey two years ago, Americans are more aware that antibiotics do not combat colds or the flu. The previous results, released in 2003, indicated that 32 percent of Americans believed that antibiotics were effective in treating the flu. That compares to 20 percent found in the most recent survey. Likewise, the number of Americans who believe that antibiotics are effective in treating colds fell 9 percentage points, to 16 percent, compared to 2003 results.
Looking to the future, Robert Scalettar, MD, chair of the CAQH Save Antibiotic Strength initiative and Corporate Medical Director for Medical Policy at WellPoint, Inc. states:
"More than three-quarters of Americans express concern over whether today’s antibiotics will be effective in the future, yet too many continue to use these drugs inappropriately. To defend against the spread of antibiotic resistance, both physicians and patients have a responsibility to ensure that these drugs are used wisely."
Pennsylvania survey findings
Most (97 percent) of Pennsylvanians think today’s antibiotics are effective in their ability to cure infections, but only 6 percent say they are very effective. Like the general population, the majority of Pennsylvanians (56 percent) mistakenly believe that antibiotics are just as or more effective as OTC drugs in their ability to treat viral infections.
Other findings in the state reveal that:
- Four out of five Pennsylvanians say they would be concerned if they were told that some of the antibiotics we use today would not be effective in 10 years.
- Only 21 percent of Pennsylvanians say antibiotics are effective in treating colds. However, twice that number (42 percent) say they have taken antibiotics in the past to treat either a cold or the flu.
- When asked what they think is most responsible for the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, 49 percent of Pennsylvanians cite over-prescribing of antibiotics by doctors, while 35 percent of Pennsylvanians cite improper use of antibiotics by the public.
Conducted on behalf of CAQH by Harris Interactive, the survey was part of an omnibus study that polled more than 2,060 people throughout the United States and has a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.
Last Updated: 8/1/2008