7. Patient based interventions versus other interventions or no intervention.

Study	Targeted Behaviour	Main Process effect	Absolute Change	Relative Change	Notes
Mainous 2000	Reducing prescribing of antibiotics for viral respiratory tract infection	Comparison 1: Patient educational materials vs control Proportion of episodes with antibiotic prescription Before: 31.9 ± 16.8% vs 31.0 ± 17.6% After: 44.5 ± 25.6% vs 53.5 ± 26.8% Comparison 2: Patient educational materials + audit and feedback vs control Proportion of episodes with antibiotics Before: 34.4 ± 13.8% vs 31.0 ± 17.6% After: 49.7 ± 22.3% vs 53.5 ± 26.8%	Comparison 1: Absolute change (post):‐9.0% Difference in absolute change from baseline: ‐9.9% Comparison 2: Absolute change (post): ‐4.1% Difference in absolute change from baseline: ‐7.2%	Comparison 1: Relative percent change (post): ‐16.8% Comparsion 2: Relative percent change (post): ‐7.6%	Change in prescribing different across all study groups (all groups had increase in prescribing). Gain scores significantly lower in these two groups compared with control (Dunnett's T=2.374, P value <0.05) (not so for audit and feedback alone)
Dowell 2001	Reducing use of antibiotics by patients for viral respiratory tract infection	Comparison: Delayed prescription vs immediate prescription Proportion of patients collecting prescription Delayed: 45.0% Immediate: 100%	Absolute difference: ‐55.0%	Relative difference: ‐55%	From unpublished data, 28.3% in delayed arm took antibiotics vs 75.0% in immediate arm (absolute difference: 46.7%, relative difference:62.3%) Proportion of patients filling prescription not available
Little 2001	Reducing use of antibiotics by patients for acute otitis media	Comparison: Delayed prescription vs immediate prescription Proportion of patients taking antibiotics Delayed: 24.0% Immediate: 98.5%	Absolute difference: ‐74.5%	Relative difference: ‐75.6%	For effect of intervention on clinical outcomes see Table 10
Arroll 2002	Reducing use of antibiotics by patients for common cold	Comparison: Delayed prescription vs immediate prescription Proportion of patients taking antibiotics Delayed: 43.5% Immediate: 88.5%	Absolute difference: 45.0%	Relative difference: 50.8%	Odds ratio for taking antibiotics for delayed group 0.12 (95% CI 0.05 to 0.29) For effect of intervention on clinical outcomes see Table 10
Macfarlane 2002	Reducing use of antibiotics by patients for acute bronchitis	Comparison: Patient educational materials vs control Proportion of patients taking antibiotics Intervention: 47.1% Control: 62.3%	Absolute difference: ‐15.2%	Relative difference: 24.3%	Hazard ratio for taking antibiotics up to 14 days post consultation for intervention compared with control 0.66 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.96)