Uncertainty Avoidance and the Psychology of Antibiotic Overuse

The practice of prolonged perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis differs among European countries and correlates highly with a measure for uncertainty avoidance.

Despite sound evidence that extending perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis beyond 24 hours is useless and may be associated both with an increased complication rate and with development of antibiotic resistance, the practice remains common in some areas. A recent study showed that in Europe, the proportion of patients who receive perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for >24 hours (PAP>24) differs considerably among countries. Sociocultural factors may be responsible for these differences, but how can this be proven?

To investigate this issue, a researcher in Malta extracted national data on PAP>24 from the 2011–2012 European CDC point-prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Uncertainty Avoidance and the Psychology of Antibiotic Overuse

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Reviewing Author