Perception of doctors towards Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting: a cross sectional survey using a validated questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Several studies have shown lack of sufficient knowledge and awareness among doctors on ADR reporting. Knowledge and attitude of doctors about ADR greatly influences extent of reporting. Identifying factors affecting ADR-reporting is vital to enable Pharmacovigilance teams to implement interventions to enhance rate and quality of reporting of ADRs. Hence, this study is done to evaluate perceptions of doctors towards ADR-reporting and to determine barriers for reporting ADR.Methods: Cross sectional study conducted among doctors using a validated questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitude, practice and barriers for reporting ADRs. The questionnaire captured the demographic details, knowledge (14), attitudes (7) and practice pattern (4) towards pharmacovigilance. Descriptive statistics was used to assess the response among doctors.Results: Of 157 doctors who responded to questionnaire, 90% of doctors were aware of pharmacovigilance program mainly through PVG activities by AMC and pharmacology classes. Only 47% doctors reported ADRs. The composite score on knowledge of ADR reporting and on knowledge of ADR burden was found to be moderate. 90% doctors opined ADR monitoring in hospital should be mandatory. 83% doctors opined ADR reporting by one person can make significant difference to community. One-third doctors felt there should be financial reward for ADR-reporting. In suspected cases, 57% doctors include ADR as differential diagnosis. 61% doctors said they will document ADR in patient file and 78% reports to AMC. More than one-third doctors don’t know where and how to report ADR. One-third doctors felt management of patients was more important than reporting ADR. Nearly one-fourth didn’t report fearing legal liabilities, difficulty diagnosing ADR and negative impact on doctors.Conclusions: Knowledge about ADR-reporting and attitude towards it is adequate. But, because of many barriers, actual practice of ADR-reporting is unsatisfactory. Hence, Pharmacovigilance training is essential for doctors to promote and improve ADR-reporting.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care professionals towards adverse drug reaction reporting in public sector primary health care facilities in a South African district

“…However, reporting rates in this study are appreciably lower than seen in India where 47% of respondent physicians had reported an ADR [71] and Malaysia where 51.9% of physicians and pharmacists in PHC facilities had reported an ADR in the past year [19]. Whilst the majority of HCPs surveyed (89.0%) felt that ADR reporting is a professional obligation ( Table 2) similar to other countries [17,19,56,71,74,76], they would be encouraged to report ADRs if the reaction is serious (89.5%), for a new product (89.5%) or unusual (78.0%) ( Fig. 1), similar to other studies [75][76][77].…”

“…Whilst a positive attitude to ADR reporting existed among HCPs working at PHC facilities in our study, the actual practice of ADR reporting was poor, similar to studies in other LMICs including India [57,[69][70][71][72][73], Pakistan [54] and Romania [74].…”

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards adverse drug reactions reporting in post graduate students of a tertiary care hospital

“…15 86.36% of participants of the present study stated that reporting by one person can make a significant difference to community (Table 2 ) different from study done by Khan et al, (16.2%), similar to study done in clinicians in by Kunnoor et al(83%). 8,13 Most of the post graduate students suggested that there should be an ADR reporting center in the OPD complex of the hospital (86.36% ) in a study done among prescribers by Radhakrishna et al, and ADR monitoring center should be in every hospital. 14 This is in accordance with study done in nurses by Radhakrishna et al, and Gupta et al, in South India (74.3%).…”

Knowledge, attitude and practice of medical professionals towards adverse drug reaction reporting and pharmacovigilance in a tertiary care hospital: a cross sectional study

“…The results were similar to a study showing that nearly one-fourth didn't report fearing legal liabilities, difficulty diagnosing ADR and negative impact on doctors. 11 In this study, all of medical professionals are ignorant of various aspects of pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reactions. When the KAP scores were compared between the groups nurses scored lesser than doctors and PG's.…”

“…This was in contrast to results seen in other studies showing where doctors had a better knowledge. [9][10][11] 98% of doctors and 96% of nurses have experienced ADR in their professional practice but reporting of such ADR to the PhV centre was 38% in doctors, 24% in PG's and 15% in nurses, which is significantly less compared to the occurrence of ADR's. Similar results were seen in the study conducted by Palaian et al, 70.8% of the health care providers (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) felt that ADR reporting should be made mandatory and a study showed only 15% of respondents had reported an ADR previously.…”