OBJECTIVES:

To examine the attitudes of patients with rhinosinusitis toward the availability of "back-up" antibiotics, and potential implications for antibiotic use rates.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING:

A survey that assessed actual and hypothetical antibiotic prescription patterns was administered to a convenience sample of patients treated for rhinosinusitis in one acute care facility between September 1 and December 1, 2001.

RESULTS:

Of 386 eligible patients, 114 completed the survey. Seventy-six percent of patients expected antibiotic treatment; satisfaction rates were significantly associated with receiving an antibiotic prescription (P <.05). Over two-thirds of patients (69.7%) reported preference for back-up antibiotic prescriptions in the future, with 91.1% stating they would wait at least 1 day, and 52.7% at least 7 days, to fill a backup prescription. In sensitivity analysis, back-up prescriptions significantly reduced antibiotic use over a wide range of assumptions.

CONCLUSIONS:

The majority of patients with rhinosinusitis in this study expected antibiotic prescriptions, and were more satisfied if they were received. Back-up antibiotics have the potential to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, mitigate risk of nontreatment, and preserve high levels of patient satisfaction.