Table 3 Responses to nursing home nurses and community-dwelling older persons to questions about the management of suspected infections, n (%)
Quantitative responses | Nurses (n = 31) | Older adults (n = 66) | P-value* |
|---|---|---|---|
Knowledge- Are you aware of any health dangers to yourself or other people associated with taking antibiotics?a | |||
Aware | 22 (71%) | 45 (69%) | 1.0 |
Attitude- When I have a cold, I should take antibiotics to prevent getting a more serious illness. | |||
Strongly disagree or disagree | 29 (94%) | 51 (77%) | 0.003 |
Neutral | 0 | 3 (5%) | |
Strongly agree or agree | 2 (6%) | 12 (18%) | |
Attitude- When I get a cold, antibiotics help me to get better more quickly. | |||
Strongly disagree or disagree | 25 (81%) | 46 (70%) | 0.698 |
Neutral | 2 (6%) | 4 (6%) | |
Strongly agree or agree | 4 (13%) | 16 (24%) | |
Attitude- By the time I am sick enough to talk to or visit a doctor because of a cold, I usually expect a prescription for antibioticsb | |||
Strongly disagree or disagree | 12 (39%) | 39 (59%) | 0.069 |
Neutral | 6 (19%) | 9 (14%) | |
Strongly agree or agree | 12 (39%) | 18 (28%) | |
Behaviors- Did not perceive need for an antibiotic in the: | |||
Asymptomatic bacteriuria vignette | 24 (77%) | 33 (50%) | 0.008 |
Viral upper respiratory vignette | 27 (87%) | 38 (58%) | <0.001 |
Wound vignettea | 30 (97%) | 48 (74%) | 0.016 |