Healthcare professionals' knowledge and practice of and attitudes towards pharmacovigilance in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional survey

Introduction Pharmacovigilance as a concept is still new to healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Arabian countries. Morbidity and mortality related to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are health problems that affect both adults and children worldwide, greatly impacting on patients' health and the costs of healthcare services. Good pharmacovigilance programs can quickly recognize both risks and factors that reduce or prevent harm. Objective Our objective was to compare HCPs' knowledge and practice of and attitudes towards pharmacovigilance in Alexandria, Egypt. Methods A cross-sectional survey comprising 20 questions was completed by 547 pharmacists and physicians in three different health sectors between August 2017 and March 2018. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariate analysis was conducted using the Chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression. The main outcome was measuring HCPs' knowledge and practice of and attitudes towards pharmacovigilance. Results In total, 232 (42.4%) physicians and 315 (57.6%) pharmacists completed the survey. The odds of having a high level of knowledge of and a positive attitude towards pharmacovigilance were nearly six times higher among pharmacists than among physicians (odds ratio [OR] 6.60 [ 95% confidence interval {CI} 2.31-18.85] and OR 5.66 [95% CI 2.26-14.15], respectively). The odds of high levels of pharmacovigilance practice for pharmacists were more than twice as high as those for physicians (OR 2.62 [ 95% CI 1.35- 5.05]). Major barriers to reporting ADRs were lack of time ( 71%) and difficulty deciding whether or not an ADR occurred (48%). Conclusion In Egypt, physicians had less knowledge and less positive attitudes towards pharmacovigilance than did pharmacists. This limited knowledge among physicians could be affecting the practice of ADR reporting. Health authorities in Egypt should initiate educational interventions and a practical training program primarily targeting physicians to enhance a culture of pharmacovigilance and drug safety in the country.