Patient knowledge and antibiotic abuse: Evidence from an audit study in China

Janet Currie, Wanchuan Lin and Wei Zhang

Journal of Health Economics, 2011, vol. 30, issue 5, 933-949

Abstract: We conduct an audit study in which a pair of simulated patients with identical flu-like complaints visits the same physician. Simulated patient A is instructed to ask a question that showcases his/her knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use, whereas patient B is instructed to say nothing beyond describing his/her symptoms. We find that a patient who displays knowledge of appropriate antibiotics use reduces both antibiotic prescription rates and drug expenditures. Such knowledge also increases physicians’ information provision about possible side effects, but has a negative impact on the quality of the physician–patient interactions. Our results suggest that antibiotics abuse in China is not driven by patients actively demanding antibiotics, but is largely a supply-side phenomenon.

Keywords: Antibiotics; China; Physician; Prescription (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I11 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (70)

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Working Paper: Patient Knowledge and Antibiotic Abuse: Evidence from an Audit Study in China (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:30:y:2011:i:5:p:933-949

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2011.05.009

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