Table 1

Characteristics of the included studies

AuthorDesignPopulationSettingIntervention of interestCointerventionsPrimary outcomesOutcome measurement
Agnew et al18Pragmatic, non-randomised, controlled trial115 patients (age not specified) presenting with RTI4 general practitioners in 1 teaching practice

  1. Information leaflet (n=46)

  2. No information leaflet (n=69)

Delayed antibiotic prescriptions for all patientsAntibiotic useTelephone questionnaire after 10–14 days
Everitt et al22Open, factorial, randomised controlled trial307 patients; adults and children (aged 1 year or more) presenting with acute infective conjunctivitis38 general practitioners and practice nurses in 30 general practices in England

  1. Information leaflet (n=150)

  2. No information leaflet (n=157)

  • Antibiotics or not:

    1. Immediate antibiotics (n=104)

    2. No antibiotics (n=94)

    3. Delayed antibiotics (n=109)

  • An eye swab or not:

    1. Eye swab (n=158)

    2. No eye swab (n=149)

  1. Severity of symptoms

  2. Duration of symptoms

  3. Belief in the effectiveness of antibiotics for eye infections

Validated patient diaries after 14 days
Francis et al17Cluster randomised controlled trial558 patients; children (aged 6 months to 14 years) presenting with an acute RTIGeneral practitioners in 61 general practices in Wales and England

  1. Interactive booklet (n=274)

  2. No booklet (n=284)

General practitioners received online training for the use of the booklet in which the use of certain communication skills was facilitatedReconsultation ratesTelephone questionnaire with the child's parent or guardian after 14 days
Gauld et al23Randomised controlled trial62 patients; female adults (aged 15–64 years) presenting with symptoms of urinary tract infection for whom the doctor prescribed an antibiotic18 general practitioners in 8 general practices in England

  1. Information leaflet (n=30)

  2. No information leaflet (n=32)

Standard verbally advice at the end of the consultation

  1. Recall of information

  2. Compliance with the prescribed course of antibiotics

Interview in the patient's home after 4 or 5 days
Little et al19Factorial randomised controlled trial807 patients; adults and children (aged 3 years or more) presenting with acute, uncomplicated lower RTI37 physicians in England

  1. Information leaflet (n=405)

  2. No information leaflet (n=402)

  • Antibiotics or not:

    1. Immediate antibiotics (n=262)

    2. No antibiotics (n=273)

    3. Delayed antibiotics (n=272)

  1. Severity of symptoms

  2. Duration of symptoms

Validated patient diaries after 1 month
Macfarlane et al20Single blind randomised controlled trial1014 patients; adults (aged 16 years or more) presenting with acute lower RTI76 general practitioners

  1. Information leaflet (n=505)

  2. No information leaflet (n=501)

–Reconsultation ratesGeneral practitioners’ records after 1 month
Macfarlane et al21Nested, single blind, randomised controlled trial259 patients; adults (aged 16 years or more) presenting with acute lower RTIGeneral practitioners in 3 general practices in England

  1. Information leaflet (n=106)

  2. No information leaflet (n=106)

Delayed prescription for all patients
Standard verbal information

  1. Antibiotic use

  2. Reconsultation rates

Patient diaries and telephone interviews after 1 month and 1–2 weeks, respectively
Sustersic et al24Cluster randomised controlled trial400 patients; adults and children presenting with gastroenteritis or tonsillitis24 general practitioners

  1. Information leaflet (n=183)

  2. No information leaflet (=217)

–Patient behaviourTelephone questionnaire with the patient or the adult accompanying the child after 10–15 days

  • RTI, respiratory tract infection.