Table 3.
Associations between standardised antibiotic prescribing volume, practice characteristics, and practice population characteristics based on multiple regression.
| Variable | Unstandardised regression coefficient, B (95%CI) | Standardised regression coefficient, β |
|---|---|---|
| Practice characteristics | ||
| Location | ||
| North of England | 0.07 (0.06 to 0.08) | 0.17 |
| Midlands | 0.04 (0.03 to 0.05) | 0.09 |
| Longer appointment duration | –0.09 (–0.10 to –0.07) | –0.11 |
| GP sex: female | –0.05 (–0.07 to –0.04) | –0.08 |
| GP country of qualification: UK | –0.04 (–0.05 to –0.02) | –0.08 |
| GP age: <45 years | –0.04 (–0.06 to –0.03) | –0.07 |
| Training practice | –0.024 (–0.032 to –0.015) | –0.06 |
| Practice population characteristics | ||
| Patient morbidity: limiting long-term illness | 0.67 (0.57 to 0.77) | 0.16 |
| Patient ethnicity: white | 0.15 (0.13 to 0.17) | 0.15 |
This model explains 17.2% of the variation in antibiotic prescribing. All regression coefficients significant (P<0.001).