Shorter antibiotics for children's ear infections
RELAX: Reducing Length of Antibiotics For Children With Ear Infections
This compares two simple clinic approaches to help doctors prescribe shorter antibiotic courses for children with ear infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ihc Health Services, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Murray, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195582 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project tests two low-cost ways clinics can encourage 5–7 day antibiotic courses (instead of 10 days) for children aged 2 years and older with uncomplicated ear infections. One approach adds clinician education plus individualized audit-and-feedback with peer comparison and EHR prescription changes, while the other uses only EHR prescription changes. Researchers will track how often recommended short courses are prescribed, monitor return visits and side effects, and measure how easily each approach can be put into routine practice. The aim is to find an effective, low-resource method that reduces unnecessary antibiotic exposure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children aged 2 years and older with non-severe acute otitis media seen at participating clinics are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Infants under 2 years, children with severe or complicated ear infections, or those who need longer antibiotic courses would likely not benefit from these shorter-duration strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reduce unnecessary antibiotic days, lowering side effects and helping slow antibiotic resistance in children.
How similar studies have performed: Randomized trials and national guidelines already support 5–7 day courses for most children ≥2 years, and a prior pilot showed marked increases in short-duration prescribing using these intervention types.
Where this research is happening
Murray, UNITED STATES
- Ihc Health Services, INC. — Murray, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Frost, Holly — Ihc Health Services, INC.
- Study coordinator: Frost, Holly
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.