Elsevier

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Volume 76, Issue 2, February 2001, Pages 169-173
Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Original Article
Characteristics of Patients With Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Presenting to a Walk-in Clinic

https://doi.org/10.4065/76.2.169Get rights and content

Objective

To profile patients with upper respiratory tract infection (URI) presenting to a walk-in clinic, to quantify their perspectives on the need for antibiotic therapy, and to find out their predictions of future behavior for similar illnesses.

Patients and Methods

In the spring of 1998, previsit and postvisit questionnaires were distributed at the clinic to patients 18 years of age or older with URI symptoms.

Results

Based on 210 completed previsit questionnaires, 161 respondents (77%) had been ill 5 or more days, 200 (95%) had cough, 177 (84%) had phlegm, 132 (63%) had sinus pain, and 79 (38%) had fever. Additionally, 54 patients (26%) reported a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, or chronic sinusitis, and 37 (18%) were smokers. Most patients were between 18 and 40 years of age. The 210 patients were categorized into 2 groups: those who believed that antibiotics were necessary (157 [75%]) and those who believed antibiotics were unnecessary (53 [25%]). The only statistically significant difference between the 2 groups was in patients with sinus pain: 109 (69%) wanted antibiotics compared with 23 (43%) who did not (P<.001). Of the 210 patients, 130 completed postvisit questionnaires, 129 (99%) of whom reported satisfaction with the clinic visit. All patients who either desired or received antibiotics indicated they would likely seek medical care for future URIs.

Conclusions

The majority of patients with presumed URI presenting to this walk-in clinic expect to receive treatment with antibiotics. Of our 130 study patients, 83 (64%) received antibiotics regardless of their desire for antibiotic treatment. Satisfaction with the office visit was independent of patients’ initial beliefs about antibiotics and whether antibiotics were prescribed.

Section snippets

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In the spring of 1998, patients older than 18 years who reported to the UCC (a Mayo Clinic-based walk-in clinic in Rochester, Minn, for patients with minor acute illnesses) because of cough, sore throat, or sputum production were asked by the patient service representatives to complete a previsit multiple-choice format questionnaire. Patient service representatives were informed about the goals of the study, but no effort was made to standardize their interaction with patients. More than 80% of

RESULTS

Of the 210 patients seen at the UCC for presumed URI, 161 (77%) had been ill 5 or more days, 200 (95%) had cough, 177 (84%) had phlegm, 132 (63%) had sinus pain, and 79 (38%) had fever. We categorized these 210 patients into 2 groups: those who thought antibiotics were necessary for treatment of their illness (157 [75%]) and those who thought antibiotics were unnecessary (53 [25%]). We compared the demographics and symptoms of the 2 groups.

Irrespective of patients’ opinions on the need for

DISCUSSION

Of the initial 210 patients enrolled in our study, 130 completed the postvisit questionnaire, 129 (99%) of whom reported being satisfied with the office visit regardless of whether they received a prescription for antibiotics. Thus, factors other than obtaining antibiotic therapy (which possibly include physician reassurance about the illness) were patients’ primary concern. This finding is congruent with other studies,12, 13 particularly the study by Hamm et al14 that found that patients were

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