Knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacovigilance among health care professionals in a tertiary care hospital: a cross sectional study

Background: Spontaneous reporting of Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) has played an important role in the detection of serious, unsuspected, and unusual ADRs previously not detected during the clinical trials. However, underreporting remains a major obstacle in the implementation of pharmacovigilance program. The present cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related to pharmacovigilance among the health-care professionals (HCPs) in Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Tamilnadu.Methods: To assess KAPs of Health care professionals toward pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting; a predesigned, structured, 12 item questionnaire was used.Results: A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed among the HCPs including Postgraduate, Interns and Staff nurses. 72.7% postgraduates, 54.29% interns and 52.63% of staff nurses were aware regarding the existence of a National Pharmacovigilance Program of India. 72.7% postgraduates, 65.71% interns and 52.63% staff nurses felt that ADR reporting is a professional obligation for them .Only 37.14% interns, 15.79% staff nurses and 11.4% postgraduates have been trained for reporting adverse reactions. Although all staff nurses (100%) followed by 79.50% postgraduates and 48.57% interns experienced ADR in their practice, only 31.58% staff nurses, 20.50% postgraduates and 11.43% interns have ever reported ADR to pharmacovigilance centre.Conclusions: The deficiencies in knowledge and attitude require urgent attention not only to improve the rate of spontaneous reporting, but also for enhanced safety of the patients. Pharmacovigilance should be included in the nursing curriculum and workshops should be conducted for the undergraduate and postgraduate medical students regularly