An Educational Intervention to Improve Adverse Drug Reactions Reporting Among Healthcare Practitioners in Selected Pediatric Hospitals in Iraq

Abstract

Background: Pharmacovigilance is getting a lot of attention lately because it plays a crucial role in managing effective medication use in clinical settings. The main goals of pharmacovigilance are to protect and enhance public health and reduce the harm caused by drugs by ensuring their justified use. This study aimed to create a pharmacovigilance education program, record adverse medication reactions, and assess the impact of the program on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of healthcare professionals in several Iraqi pediatric hospitals. In a three-phase study, healthcare professionals were asked to complete a KAP questionnaire before and after the educational program. Results: The educational program significantly improved participants' knowledge about adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and pharmacovigilance (PV). Similar improvements were observed in attitudes and practices. Conclusion: Ongoing education programs are essential to assess their impact on achieving and maintaining the desired outcomes of the ADR reporting system and enhancing inter-professional practices.