Scholarly Article
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pharmacovigilance among Healthcare Professionals in Warangal, India
Prathyusha Rani Thunla, Kandi Konda Chaitanya, Donthi Bharath, Prasad Thota
2025-08-23 · The Journal of Heart Valve Disease · DOI: 10.61336/icr/25-08-30
Abstract
Background: Pharmacovigilance (PV) is essential for ensuring drug safety by monitoring and reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Despite the presence of national programs such as the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), underreporting of ADRs remains a challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding pharmacovigilance among healthcare professionals in Warangal, Telangana, and to identify gaps influencing ADR reporting. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational, questionnaire-based study was conducted over six months among 200 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, in hospitals, pharmacies, and colleges of Warangal. A pretested 20-item structured questionnaire assessed KAP domains. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to analyze responses. Results: Most participants (84.3%) correctly defined pharmacovigilance, and 91% were aware of the PvPI. A majority (95.2%) agreed ADR reporting is necessary, and 96.2% supported teaching PV in detail to healthcare professionals. However, only 17.5% had ever reported an ADR, despite 65.4% encountering one during practice. While 67.2% had seen an ADR reporting form, only 45.4% had received training on ADR reporting. Key barriers identified included lack of time (46.9%), difficulty in determining causality (24.6%), and insufficient training. Pharmacists constituted the largest group of respondents (45.5%), followed by nurses (34.6%) and doctors (19.9%). Conclusions: The study revealed satisfactory knowledge and positive attitudes toward pharmacovigilance but poor reporting practices among healthcare professionals. Strengthening pharmacovigilance requires targeted training, simplified reporting procedures, institutional support, and integration of PV into professional education. Bridging the gap between awareness and practice is crucial for improving ADR reporting and ensuring patient safety.
Keywords
Pharmacovigilance, Adverse drug reactions, Knowledge, attitude and practice, Healthcare professionals, India
Citation Details
The Journal of Heart Valve Disease, Vol. 30, No. 8, pp. 206-212