In one ambulatory pediatric study, what percent of prescriptions were over- or under-diagnosed?

• A. 70%
• B. 15%
• C. 3.3%
• D. 0.5%

Answer: (B)

In ambulatory pediatrics, prescribing decisions hinge on matching the diagnosis to the treatment. When a prescription is based on a diagnosis that isn’t accurate, it can lead to giving meds that aren’t needed or missing therapies the patient actually needs. The study found that about fifteen percent of prescriptions were tied to over- or under-diagnoses. That means roughly one in seven prescriptions didn’t align with the true condition, a notable but not overwhelming level of diagnostic misalignment. This level is plausible for real-world pediatric care, where symptoms can be nonspecific and time constraints can affect diagnostic accuracy. The other percentages would imply far more or far less mismatch than is typically observed, so fifteen percent sits as a reasonable, meaningful figure highlighting the importance of careful assessment and appropriate prescribing, especially in fields like pediatric obesity where precise diagnosis guides the right intervention.