Table 1.

Standardised patient scenario descriptions and rationale.

Approach	Scenario description	Presentation	Rationale
Symptoms based antibiotic request	Scenario 1 Antibiotic request by reporting symptoms of viral URTI in a family member with two days cough, runny nose, slight fever and occasional sneezing.	“My sister, who is 20 years old, has been suffering from a cough, runny nose, slight fever and occasional sneezing. The symptoms have been going for two days. Can I get some medicine for her please?”	Symptoms of self-limiting viral infections are very common and does not require antibiotic treatment. Only symptomatic treatment should be advised for viral URTIs. It has not been documented how frequently inappropriate antibiotics are supplied by private community pharmacies for this indication in Vietnam.
Direct antibiotic product request	Scenario 2 Antibiotic direct product request for viral URTI in a family member with two days cough, runny nose, slight fever and occasional sneezing.	Can I have four tablets of this medication please (showing an old strip of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid)?	Previous studies suggested that amoxycillin or amoxycillin/clavulanic acid tablets are easily obtained from private pharmacies without a prescription in Vietnam. This has not been tested in a standardised patient survey, or in patients presenting with common URTI symptoms in both rural and urban settings of our study regions
Symptoms based antibiotic request	Scenario 3 Antibiotic request by reporting symptoms of acute diarrhea of a child with abdominal pain and watery diarrhea about 3 to 4 times a day for the last two days	“My 5-year old son has had abdominal pain and watery diarrhoea about 3 to 4 times a day for 2 days. Can I get some medicine for him please?”	Acute watery diarrhoea in children is common and self-limiting; the only treatment required is fluid (preferably oral rehydration solution) to prevent dehydration. It has not been documented how frequently inappropriate antibiotics are supplied by private community pharmacies for this indication in Vietnam.
Prescription based antibiotic request	Scenario 4 An antibiotic request by a parent presenting a doctor prescription. The prescription included azithromycin 200mg/5 ml, which required dry powder reconstitution to make a suspension that should be kept in the room temperature or in the refrigerator.	Can I get the medicine on this prescription?	The appropriate advice provided by private community pharmacy staff in Vietnam on the appropriate reconstitution, storage and use of antibiotics has not been studied (patient advice).

URTI – Upper Respiratory Tract Infection