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Table 2 Results of univariate logistic regression model for ‘’antibiotic prescription”. Patient symptoms and physical findings, and patient pressure factors and their influence on prescribing decision according to univariate logistic regression (N = 1454)

From: Combined assessment of clinical and patient factors on doctors’ decisions to prescribe antibiotics

Variables

Number of patients (%) N = 1454

Odds Ratio

P

95 % Confidence Interval

Temperature above 38 °C for at least one day

659 (45.26 %)

2.12

<0.001

1.72–2.62

Symptom duration longer than 7 days

421 (28.91 %)

3.68

<0.001

2.85–4.75

Headache while bending forward

181 (12.43 %)

1.76

0.001

1.27–2.44

Redness of the throat

556 (38.19 %)

1.72

<0.001

1.38–2.13

Tonsillar exudates

178 (12.23 %)

13.96

<0.001

7.69–25.34

Enlargement of cervical and/or submandibular lymph nodes

260 (17.86 %)

3.13

<0.001

2.30–4.25

Expectoration of purulent sputum

203 (13.94 %)

4.83

<0.001

3.20–7.10

Thick purulent nasal discharge

173 (11.88 %)

3.02

<0.001

2.09–4.38

Auscultation sounds: wheezing and rhonchi

181 (12.43 %)

11.03

<0.001

6.43–18.93

Auscultation sounds: rales or crepitations

99 (6.80 %)

21.57

<0.001

<0.001 7.89–59.00

Patient factor 1: patient started treatment on his own as he/she was in possession of an antibiotic

111 (7.62 %)

3.19

<0.001

2.00–5.08

Patient factor 2: direct request for antibiotics

247 (16.96 %)

2.16

<0.001

1.60–2.89

Patient factor 3: candidate diagnosis

308 (21.15 %)

1.41

0.009

1.08–1.82

Patient factor 5: the patient insists that antibiotics were effective in previous similar cases

115 (7.90 %)

1.29

0.195

0.88–1.91

Patient factor 6: the patient recalls that a family member was prescribed an antibiotic when he/she had similar symptoms and had good results

92 (6.32 %)

1.17

0.473

0.76–1.80

Patient factor 7: the patient says that similar symptoms in the past did not resolve without an antibiotic

103 (7.07 %)

1.30

0.200

0.87–1.97

Patient factor 8: patient’s emphasis on symptom severity (portraying severity of illness)

272 (18.68 %)

1.88

<0.001

1.40–2.48

Patient factor 10: other expressions used by the patient that may influence prescription decision

105 (7.21 %)

1.77

0.008

1.16–2.70

Factors that decreased the likelihood of antibiotic prescription

    

 Sore throat

919 (63.12 %)

0.65

<0.001

0.52–0.80

 Hoarseness

337 (23.15 %)

0.74

0.014

0.58–0.94

 Cough

1037 (71.22 %)

0.59

<0.001

0.47–0.75

 Rhinorrhoea

787 (54.05 %)

O.26

<0.001

0.20–0.32

Patient factor 9: direct request not to prescribe antibiotics

80 (5.49 %)

0.35

<0.001

0.22–0.57

Patient factor 4: emphasising the necessity of quick recovery/appealing to life circumstances

184 (12.64 %)

0.97

0.829

0.71–1.32