Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Medical, Pharmacy, and Nursing Students Towards Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting at University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: The adequate knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigilance and ADRs reporting is crucial for health care students. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at assessing the KAP of final-year medical, pharmacy, and nursing (MPN) students towards pharmacovigilance and ADRs reporting at the University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 296 final-year MPN students at the University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences from November 1, 2020 to January 30, 2021. A close-ended, structured, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection prospectively. SPSS(®) (IBM Corporation) version 24 was used to analyze the data with descriptive and inferential statistics. The comparison of the KAP of groups was made by using a Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U-test. Statistical significance was declared at a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Among 296 participants, the majority of them had a poor level of knowledge (69.9%), practice (95.9%), and moderate attitude (62.5%) towards pharmacovigilance and ADRs reporting. The median (interquartile range) score of the students’ knowledge (maximum score = 15), attitude (maximum score = 50), and practice (maximum score = 5) towards PV and ADR reporting was 6 (5–8), 32 (28.25–35), and 1 (0–1), respectively. The KAP of the students has shown differences with age, sex, hearing of the term PV, and discipline. A lack of training on ADRs (49%) reporting and not knowing where and how to report ADRs (47.3%) were among the main reasons of MPN students for not reporting ADRs. CONCLUSION: A majority of final-year MPN students had poor knowledge, practice, and a moderate attitude towards PV and ADRs reporting. The school of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing should adequately cover the issue of PV and ADRs reporting in the undergraduate curriculum.