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Table 3 Types of diagnosis

From: Understanding the influence of parent-clinician communication on antibiotic prescribing for children with respiratory tract infections in primary care: a qualitative observational study using a conversation analysis approach

Diagnosis

Frequency (%)

Example

Viral diagnosis (explicit)

37 (66%)

So it all looks as if he’s got a virus” (C212: GP)

Viral diagnosis (implied)

9 (16%)

a usual cough” (C218: GP)

there doesn’t seem to be anything sinister happening at the moment” (C202: PA)

‘Infection’ diagnosis

6 (11%)

this probably looks more like she has got a bit of a chest infection rather than a viral cold” (C220: NP)

Pneumonia diagnosis

1 (2%)

if a child complains of chest pain it is a pneumonia until you can prove otherwise.” (C19: GP)

No diagnosis but bacterial infection implied by antibiotic prescription linked to specific symptoms

3 (5%)

I think if the phlegm was yellowy, it’s probably worth using an antibiotic” (C213: GP)

she’s had a temperature for now, for over a week coming down. That’s quite a long time to be having a temperature” (C224: NP)