Editor's Pick Original Investigation

Symptom Misrepresentation to Obtain Antibiotics

JAMA Network Open 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.39559

October 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT

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In this survey study of US adults, nearly 30% of respondents reported misrepresenting symptoms to get antibiotics from a clinician, most commonly cold-like symptoms. Findings highlight the need for strategies to promote antibiotic knowledge and improve patient-clinician communication to address factors contributing to symptom misrepresentation.

Corresponding Author: Alistair Thorpe, PhD, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (alistair.thorpe@hsc.utah.edu).

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