US antibiotic misrepresentation study

A study published in JAMA Network Open indicates that approximately 28% of US adults have exaggerated or fabricated symptoms to obtain antibiotics for themselves or children in their care. The survey of nearly 1,000 respondents found that cold-like symptoms, stomach issues, and joint or muscle pain were the most frequently misrepresented.

Motivations for this behavior included the desire for immediate relief or the perceived need to return to work or school. Among those who misrepresented symptoms, 76.9% reported successfully obtaining antibiotics at least once. Respondents reported learning how to misrepresent symptoms through personal experience, social media, clinicians, friends, family, and AI chatbots.

Researchers noted that approximately 40% of those who misreported exaggerated the duration or severity of symptoms, while 7% lied about the presence of symptoms, such as claiming a non-existent fever. Experts suggest these actions contribute to antimicrobial resistance and highlight a need for improved communication between patients and healthcare providers.