Gaps in communication between different staff groups and older adult patients foster unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for urinary tract infections in hospitals: a qualitative translation approach

ConclusionInterventions to improve diagnosis and prescribing for UTIs in older adults typically focus on educating clinicians. Drawing on the sociological concept of translation and interviews with staff and patients our findings suggest that inappropriate diagnosis and antibiotic prescribing in hospitals can be fuelled by gaps in communication or translation between different staff groups and older adult patients, using different languages and technologies or interpreting them differently. We suggest that interventions in this area may be improved by also addressing discrepant understandings and communication about symptoms, urinary dipsticks and the process of urinalysis.
Source: Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research