Attitudes of parents and primary care practitioners towards natural medicinal products (NMPs) for acute, uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infections and an NMP App: results from an online survey

Introduction

Resistance to antibiotics is an increasing worldwide problem. Hence, identifying and implementing the use of alternatives to antibiotics is crucial. A prototype app providing evidence-based advice on the use of safe and effective natural medicinal products (NMPs) for acute, uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) is being developed. This study investigates the acceptability of NMPs (for URTIs) and the idea of an NMP app among intended end-users.

Methods

An online survey was completed by parents (n = 103), general practitioners (GP; n = 110), nurse practitioners (n = 65), physician assistants (n = 65), and pharmacists (n = 71) working in Dutch primary care.

Results

The majority of parents (66–79 %) and professionals (40–98 %) reported past use, current recommendation, or future willingness to use NMPs for URTIs. The majority of respondents (73–82 %) indicated they would use or recommend an NMP app, with main reasons being convenience, practicality, and time-saving. Most important prerequisites for use were safety and effectiveness of the included NMPs. Pharmacists reported they would use an NMP app primarily for professional development and shared decision-making (both 53 %), whereas 72 % of parents and up to 57 % of other professionals would use it mainly to support self-management. Up to 61 % of respondents expected a reduction in antibiotic use, and up to 70 % anticipated fewer primary care visits for URTIs with the introduction of an NMP App.

Conclusions

This study indicates broad acceptance of NMPs for URTIs across intended end-user groups. An NMP app seems to be a well-supported tool for reducing antibiotic use and primary care visits for children with URTIs in Dutch primary care. However, a website or web-based tool may be more fitting than a standalone mobile application. Furthermore, to prevent the exacerbation of health inequalities, it is important to also develop tools that are accessible to parents with low (health) literacy and a lower socio-economic position. GP assistants and pharmacy assistants appear key end-users for further research and implementation.