Acute and Chronic Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract

within community care. These studies have identified the cultural anthropological dimension of uncertainty avoidance (UA) as being particularly relevant in explaining why doctors in some European countries have a greater propensity to prescribe antibiotics for predominantly viral conditions, such as colds, flu, and sore throat, in the face of clear scientific evidence. UA is described in the Geert Hofstede model of cultural dimension as a construct estimating the extent to which a society tolerates uncertainty and ambiguity. Such cultures often try to counteract the unease created by situations of uncertainty through the adoption of dogmatic and excessive measure, even when there is no evidence of cost-effectiveness or risk attenuation. There is no evidence to support postoperative prophylaxis.