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Table 1 Physicians' response to patients' requests for anthrax prophylaxis. *

From: Patients' request for and emergency physicians' prescription of antimicrobial prophylaxis for anthrax during the 2001 bioterrorism-related outbreak

 

Characteristic

       
 

Setting no (%)†

 

State location no (%)‡

 

Emergency department type no (%)§

 

Variable

Urban

Rural

OR (95% CI)

Eastern

Western

OR (95% CI)

Academic

Non academic

OR (95% CI)

Received requests for antibiotics

38 (73)

26 (59)

1.9 (0.8–4.4)

33 (70)

31 (63)

1.4 (0.6–3.2)

21 (68)

41 (66)

1.1 (0.4–2.7)

Prescribed antibiotics for anthrax

10 (20)

6 (14)

1.5 (0.5–4.7)

6 (13)

10 (21)

0.6 (0.2–1.8)

7 (23)

9 (15)

1.8 (0.6–5.4)

Requested testing for anthrax

18 (35)

11 (24)

1.6 (0.7–4.0)

15 (32)

14 (28)

1.2 (0.5–2.9)

8 (26)

21 (33)

0.7 (0.3–1.8)

  1. Abbreviations: OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.
  2. * The ninety-seven survey respondents were used in the analysis.
  3. †Fifty-two physicians responded from practices located in one of the eleven "urban" counties that had a population density of ≥450 persons per sq mile in 2001.
  4. ‡Forty-seven respondents were from eastern Pennsylvania, defined as the Northeast and Southeast Districts.
  5. §Thirty-one physicians responded from practices that were considered "academic" based on presence of training for residents or fellows.