Predictors of Health Professionals Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice related to Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting at Felegehiwot Referral Hospital and University of Gondar Teaching Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Prevention, monitoring and reporting of adverse drug reactions is still a challenge among health professionals. Even though some adverse drug reactions are minor and can be resolved quickly, some can cause permanent disability or death. Under reporting of adverse drug reactions by health professionals (such as Physicians, Pharmacists and Nurses) is a common problem of any pharmacovigilence programs. Objective: to assess predictors of health professionals’ knowledge, attitude, and practice related to adverse drug reaction reporting at Felege-Hiwot Referral Hospital and University of Gondar Teaching Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods - Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted at Felegehiwot Referral Hospital and University of Gondar Teaching Hospital from March 11, 2013 to April 12, 2013. Self-administered pre-tested questionnaire and in-depth-interview were used. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed. Results: The mean age of study participants was 33 (SD=5.6) years. Participants of 144(48.6%) were males, 214(72.3%) were nurses, 154 (51.4%) were Bachelor Nurses, their mean of experience was 5.7 years (SD = 3.5). Two hundred seventy six (83.2%) participants had inadequate knowledge on how to report ADR and Health professionals who categorized in the age of 26-35 years was 4.95 times more likely inadequate knowledge on adverse drug reaction reporting (AOR = 4.945, 95% CI = 20.965– 1.166, P=0.030), and participants who took training/seminar on pharmacovigilance had 0.12 times less likely to have inadequate knowledge on adverse drug reaction reporting (AOR = 8.098, 95% CI = 36.408– 1.801, P=0.006). There was no significant association of attitude and candidates in bivariate analysis. Health professionals who took training and/or seminar on pharmacovigilance had 0.054 times less likely not to report the encountered adverse drug (AOR = 18.465, 95% CI = (99.292-3.434), P=0.001). II Busy schedule 181(61.1%) was detected as the most important reason for not reporting the encountered adverse drug reaction. Conclusions and recommendation: Even though all health professionals felt adverse drug reaction monitoring to be essential and are willing to report, most of them were inadequate knowledge and not reporting regarding adverse drug reaction. So it requires urgent attention not only to improve the rate of spontaneous reporting, but also for enhanced safety of the patients and society at large.