Effect of CRP and SAA Point-of-care Testing on Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Respiratory-tract Infections

Eligibility criteria for clusters Village clinics with an annual outpatient volume exceeding 2000, an average of 10 or more patients per week presenting with ARIs, and licensed prescribers are considered eligible for selection for the intervention. Annual outpatient prescriptions and average weekly visits for ARIs will be verified by obtaining prescription data from all village clinics for the previous year, as documented in the information section of the local health board. Eligibility criteria for participants The target population of this study included (1) patients of all ages diagnosed by a village doctor with ARIs (including upper and lower respiratory infections); and (2) patients who present with ≥1 acute respiratory symptoms (including cough, rhinitis (sneezing, nasal congestion or runny nose), sore throat, shortness of breath, wheezing or abnormal auscultation). Patients with non-respiratory diseases or those with severe clinical symptoms requiring referral to a higher-level institution are excluded from the target population.