Symptom Misrepresentation to Obtain Antibiotics
JAMA Network Open 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.39559October 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT
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.
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