Knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the Pharm.D interns towards adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting and pharmacovigilance

Abstract

Introduction: Lack of awareness about pharmacovigilance (PV) is one of the most important causes of under-reporting, which is widespread and poses a daunting challenge in India. The aim of this study is to assess and to document the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) interns who practicing in hospitals with regards to PV and adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting and to identify the causes of under reporting. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted for a period of six months across ten hospitals in Andhra Pradesh, India. Results: Overall, 578 responses were analysed, 78% of the participants had good knowledge on reporting ADR, 82% were aware that patient will be benefited from the ADR reporting, and the majority of the participants had a positive attitude towards reporting ADR. Fifty-nine percentage of the participants had reported the ADRs through different ADR reporting procedures, 52% were advised the awareness programmes for improving the reporting culture, and 34% had the difficulty in deciding or diagnosing the ADR. Conclusion: The KAP of the Pharm.D interns is appreciable and may reduce the burden on the other healthcare providers and improve patient care.