Family doctors' attitudes towards patient self-management of upper respiratory tract infections.

OBJECTIVES To determine the clinical attitudes and behaviour of family doctors in Hong Kong towards patient self-management of upper respiratory tract infections, and factors which may influence this practice. DESIGN Questionnaire survey conducted between February 1999 and April 1999. SETTING Hong Kong College of Family Physicians. PARTICIPANTS Members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians. RESULTS A total of 730 family doctors completed a postal questionnaire on self-management of upper respiratory tract infection, giving an overall response rate of 71.9%. The majority (95.2%) of respondents agreed that patients should be advised on self-management. More than two thirds (69.7%) of respondents also considered patients should be advised on self-medications for upper respiratory tract infection. Nearly two thirds and one third of respondents stated they would advise more than 60% of patients on self-management and self-medication, respectively. A close association was noted between the doctor's view on the usefulness of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infection and patient advice regarding self-management and self-medication strategies. CONCLUSION Doctors with certain characteristics are more likely to advise patients with upper respiratory tract infection on self-management and self-medication for upper respiratory tract infection.