Thirty-four percent of adults age 50 or older think antibiotics can treat colds or the flu even though these illnesses are caused by viruses and not infectious bacteria, according recent research published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
The study, published Feb. 5, was conducted by researchers from the Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan's Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. They garnered survey responses from more than 2,200 U.S. adults ages 50-80.
Survey results also revealed that about 13 percent of respondents who filled an antibiotic prescription said they had leftover medication, even though the drugs are usually only prescribed in courses designed to be taken until no medication remains.
Sixty-five percent of participants with leftover antibiotics said they kept them, with 60 percent of this group saying they kept the medication in case they needed it in the future.
About 19 percent of all survey respondents said that they had taken antibiotics without guidance from a medical professional, with most saying they had taken their own leftover antibiotics. However, experts advise patients to seek guidance from a medical professional when they discover signs of a new infection.
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