Primary Care Physicians’ Attitudes and Perceptions towards Antibiotic Resistance and Antibiotic Stewardship: A National Survey

Outpatient antibiotic stewardship is needed to reduce inappropriate prescribing and minimize the development of resistant bacteria. We assessed primary care physicians’ perceptions of antibiotic resistance, antibiotic use, and the need for stewardship activities.

Primary Care Physicians generally did not recognize antibiotic resistance and inappropriate prescribing as issues in their practice. This poses a challenge for the success of outpatient stewardship. Healthcare stakeholders will need to explore opportunities for feedback and incentive activities to encourage stewardship uptake.