Table 1.
Veteran and Visit Characteristics by Antibiotic Receipt
| Veteran and Visit Characteristics | Did Not Receive Antibiotic (N = 204), No. (%) | Received Antibiotic (N = 228), No. (%) | Difference (95% CI) | P Value a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex, female | 29 (14.2%) | 33 (14.5%) | 0.3% (−6.4% to 6.9%) | .939 |
| Age, y b | 63.7 (±12.3) | 64.2 (±11.6) | 0.5 (−1.8 to 2.8) | .668 |
| Urban–rural county classification by Veteran address | ||||
| Large central metro | 21 (10.3%) | 19 (8.3%) | −2.0% (−7.5% to 3.5%) | .483 |
| Large fringe metro | 41 (20.1%) | 52 (22.8%) | 2.7% (−5.0% to 10.4%) | .494 |
| Medium metro | 59 (28.9%) | 67 (29.4%) | 0.5% (−8.1%, 9.0%) | .916 |
| Small metro | 19 (9.3%) | 12 (5.3%) | −4.1% (−9.0%, 0.9%) | .103 |
| Micropolitan | 44 (21.6%) | 55 (24.1%) | 2.6% (−5.4% to 10.5%) | .528 |
| Non-core | 20 (9.8%) | 23 (10.1%) | 0.3% (−5.4% to 5.9%) | .922 |
| Visit season | ||||
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 97 (47.6%) | 125 (54.8%) | 7.3% (−2.1% to 16.7%) | .131 |
| Spring (Mar–May) | 46 (22.6%) | 29 (12.7%) | −9.8% (−17.0%, −2.6%) | .007 |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 17 (8.3%) | 37 (16.2%) | 7.9% (1.8% to 14.0%) | .013 |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | 44 (21.6%) | 37 (16.2%) | −5.3% (−12.7% to 2.1%) | .156 |
| Provider type | ||||
| Physician | 139 (68.1%) | 119 (52.2%) | −15.9% (−25.1% to −6.8%) | .001 |
| Nurse practitioner | 49 (24.0%) | 102 (44.7%) | 20.7% (12.0% to 29.4%) | <.001 |
| Physician assistant | 16 (7.8%) | 6 (2.6%) | −5.2% (−9.4% to −1.0%) | .014 |
| Unknown | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.4%) | 0.4% (−0.4% to 1.3%) | .344 |
| Received nonantibiotic prescription for URI symptoms | 94 (46.1%) | 138 (60.5%) | 14.4% (5.1% to 23.8%) | .003 |
| Called or seen within 1 week of URI visit | 7 (3.4%) | 27 (11.8%) | 8.4% (3.5% to 13.3%) | .001 |
| Smoker c | 42 (20.6%) | 56 (24.6%) | 4.0% (−3.9% to 11.9%) | .324 |
| Underlying pulmonary disease d | 8 (3.9%) | 18 (7.9%) | 4.0% (−0.4% to 8.4%) | .078 |
| Underlying congestive heart failure | 16 (7.8%) | 19 (8.3%) | 0.5% (−4.7% to 5.7%) | .852 |
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate (mg/dL) b | 77.5 (±20.5) | 77.5 (±22.9) | −0.0 (−4.4 to 4.4) | .996 |
| Immunosuppressed | 4 (2.0%) | 2 (0.9%) | −1.1% (−3.4% to 1.2%) | .348 |
| Insurance documented | 164 (80.4%) | 176 (77.2%) | −3.2% (−10.9% to 4.5%) | .417 |
| Days since visit, d b , e | 593.0 (±239.1) | 713.0 (±156.9) | 120.0 (81.2 to 158.7) | <.001 |
a
Mean difference and 95% confidence intervals calculated using 2-sample t test for continuous and binomial data and using two-sample proportion test for categorical data. P values reported as statistical significance assessing whether difference in means was different from 0.
b
Variables are reported as mean ± standard deviation in units specified.
c
Cigarettes, cigars, or illicit substances smoked within 1 year prior to visit.
d
Excludes obstructive sleep apnea and asthma.
e
Calculated from set dates depending on the survey round to which the Veteran responded.