Educational intervention impact assessment on pharmacovigilance knowledge, attitude and practice among hospital pharmacy practitioners in Dubai.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of a self-developed educational intervention on the knowledge, attitude, practice, barriers, and facilitators of pharmacovigilance (PV) among hospital pharmacists in Dubai.

Method: Pharmacists from three hospitals attended an education intervention (PowerPoint presentation and hands-on session) on PV and were continuously followed up using WhatsApp for 6 months. The module's impact was assessed using a questionnaire at baseline, 3, and 6 months post-intervention. The median (IQR) scores of the individual Likert-type questions were compared with the demographic variables using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests, correlation using Spearman's test and Pearson's R (Interval by Interval) test, and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used compare the pre-post scores at alpha = 0.05.

Results: Of the 60 participants, upon intervention, the total knowledge scores improved from 14 (12-15)/18 at baseline to 17 (16-18) at 3 months, p = <0.001, and 18 (17-18) at 6 months, p = <0.001, the attitude scores improved from 25 (23-26)/30 at baseline to 27 (26-29) at 3 months, p = <0.001, and 28 (27-29) at 6 months, p = <0.001, and the practice score improved from 9 (7-11)/24 at baseline to 9.5 (8-11) at 3 months, p = <0.001, and 10 (8-11) at 6 months, p = <0.001. Similar improvements were seen for factors encouraging ADR reporting and minimisation of barriers. The intervention had a significant impact on enhancing the knowledge of participants with age groups of 20-29 and 30-39 as indicated by the results of the Spearman correlation test (p = 0.001(r = 0.854), p = 0.003 (r = 0.468)) respectively.

Conclusion: The study findings highlighted that educational intervention effectively enhances knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacovigilance among hospital pharmacists. Though the first of its kind this study outcome could have been influenced by external factors interfering with the outcome measures. Upon customisation, this module can be utilised by health professionals to improve pharmacovigilance practices in their settings.