How Pediatricians and Internists Manage Influenza
Author Information
Author(s): Michael B Rothberg, Aleta B Bonner, MH Rajab, Barbara W Stechenberg, David N Rose
Primary Institution: Baystate Medical Center
Hypothesis
Pediatricians and internists manage influenza differently due to varying complication rates and medication side effects between pediatric and adult populations.
Conclusion
Pediatricians and internists manage influenza differently, highlighting the need for evidence-based guidelines tailored to each specialty.
Supporting Evidence
- Pediatricians were more likely to perform rapid testing than internists (73% vs. 46%).
- Pediatricians were more likely to use amantadine compared to internists (88% vs. 48%).
- Pediatricians restricted their prescribing to high-risk patients more than internists (86% vs. 53%).
- 38% of pediatricians believed antiviral therapy could decrease mortality compared to 22% of internists.
Takeaway
Pediatricians are more likely to test for influenza and use certain medications compared to internists, which shows that doctors have different ways of treating the same illness.
Methodology
A cross-sectional online survey of physician knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rapid diagnostic testing and antiviral therapy for influenza.
Potential Biases
The study may not account for variations in practice outside the surveyed institutions.
Limitations
The study was limited to two academic medical centers, which may not represent the national practice, and the survey's anonymous nature did not allow for demographic comparisons between responders and non-responders.
Participant Demographics
107 pediatricians and 103 internists from two large academic medical centers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
0.13 to 0.52
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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