Furthermore, the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics can reinforce the health-seeking behaviour of patients.
Linked with these knowledge gaps and reinforcement are skills gaps among some patients who decide not to seek help. The moral hazard arising from universal and ‘free at the point of care’ health services may be blamed for marginalising the value of self-care. There may be conflict between messages encouraging self-care and social marketing campaigns in other areas that leverage risk aversion to prompt earlier diagnosis of cancer, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Arising from this behavioural analysis it appears that some patients may not possess adequate skills to cope with illness. Moreover, the environmental context may favour a free visit to the GP over self-medication, which may be more costly and the self-selection of appropriate medicines makes this more complex. A self-care campaign was mounted in November 2013 called ‘treat yourself better’. Promoting medical advice through pharmacy as the first point of call could reduce demand for GP appointments and patients may in fact find it easier. …show more content…
Whether it is necessary for people to understand antibiotic resistance (as opposed to merely accepting it) is unclear. Without a clearer understanding of the consequences of unnecessary antibiotic consumption it is unlikely that a new social norm for antibiotics as a last resort can be developed. Among the more successful attempts at such an approach has been the public acceptance of not drink-driving and recycling. In both instances a clear consequence was demonstrated and accepted. The unclear consequences of antibiotic resistance remain abstract and problematic for the public to appreciate and therefore insufficient attention is paid to the
Linked with these knowledge gaps and reinforcement are skills gaps among some patients who decide not to seek help. The moral hazard arising from universal and ‘free at the point of care’ health services may be blamed for marginalising the value of self-care. There may be conflict between messages encouraging self-care and social marketing campaigns in other areas that leverage risk aversion to prompt earlier diagnosis of cancer, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Arising from this behavioural analysis it appears that some patients may not possess adequate skills to cope with illness. Moreover, the environmental context may favour a free visit to the GP over self-medication, which may be more costly and the self-selection of appropriate medicines makes this more complex. A self-care campaign was mounted in November 2013 called ‘treat yourself better’. Promoting medical advice through pharmacy as the first point of call could reduce demand for GP appointments and patients may in fact find it easier. …show more content…
Whether it is necessary for people to understand antibiotic resistance (as opposed to merely accepting it) is unclear. Without a clearer understanding of the consequences of unnecessary antibiotic consumption it is unlikely that a new social norm for antibiotics as a last resort can be developed. Among the more successful attempts at such an approach has been the public acceptance of not drink-driving and recycling. In both instances a clear consequence was demonstrated and accepted. The unclear consequences of antibiotic resistance remain abstract and problematic for the public to appreciate and therefore insufficient attention is paid to the