General practice registrars’ current knowledge, awareness and utilisation of clinical prediction rules and other antimicrobial stewardship strategies in the context of respiratory infections: A qualitative study

Background and objective:
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health crisis. A key factor in its reduction is general practitioner-led antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). During general practice training, general practice registrars (GPRs) learn evidence-based AMS strategies such as the use of clinical prediction rules (CPRs); however, there is a lack information on GPRs’ knowledge, awareness and use of CPRs.

Methods:
Semi-structured focus groups were held with a convenience sample of general practice registrars. The focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and will be thematically analysed.

Results:
Four focus groups were conducted, with 16 participants to date (recruitment is ongoing). Data analysis will be completed after finalising recruitment.

Discussion:
The findings from this study will help us better understand GPRs’ current knowledge of attitudes towards and adoption of CPRs and other AMS strategies. These insights will have implications for future GPRs’ educational initiatives and the implementation of AMS strategies in general practice.