One Belgian study found the main reasons for people with sore throat to visit their doctors are for reassurance and pain relief. This is supported by a much smaller UK study.

• In a Belgian study (n = 298 people with sore throat), patients were asked to rate the importance of 13 reasons for visiting their family physician on a 4-point Likert scale (very, rather, little, or not important). Knowledge and beliefs about acute sore throat and the use of antibiotics were also scored using a validated questionnaire [van Driel et al, 2006]. The study found the three most frequent reasons for consulting doctors were: establishing the cause of symptoms, pain relief, and information on the course of disease.
• More than 80% of all patients considered these 3 reasons very/rather important: 'I want an antibiotic' ranked 11th out of 13 items and was rated very/rather important by 37.6% of the respondents (very important by 16.3%).
• The ranking of the most important reasons for visiting the family physician was similar among those patients who hoped for an antibiotic (n = 106) and those who did not (n = 176).
• Similar results were found in a small UK qualitative study (n = 17) which reported that about two-thirds of people with sore throat consulted for reassurance, with some seeking an explanation of their condition, or pain relief for themselves and their children [Butler et al, 1998].