PO 8438 KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTIONS ON ADVERSE DRUG EVENTS REPORTING AMONG PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN RURAL UGANDA

Abstract

Background: Drug regulators promote patient safety by monitoring adverse drug reactions. The reporting rate of suspected adverse drug reactions in Uganda is below the average for a well-performing system. Objective(s): To describe patient and healthcare worker knowledge, attitude and practice about adverse drug events and reporting at the community level. Method(s): A cross-sectional survey among respondents from randomly selected households and healthcare workers in Iganga Mayuge HDSS (IMHDSS) in Eastern Uganda. Result(s): Of the 1034 community members, 59% sought treatment from private drug shops, 37% from either private clinics, health centers or hospitals while 4% sought treatment from herbalists, friends or relatives. Over half of the respondents (56%) were aware that drugs can have negative effects, 57% expressed willingness to report an ADE while 43% did not know what to do in case an ADE occurred. Almost half (46%) could not differentiate between an ADE and the disease, and for those who could, the majority (76%) were willing to report an ADE in case it occurred. However, only 34% had ever reported an ADE when it actually occurred to them. For respondents who reported, 43% had their drugs changed, 31% were counseled while 11.5% continued on the same medication. For healthcare providers, 95% knew about an ADE but only 35% (n = 116) have ever reported. Some reasons for not reporting were fear of being victimized or sued upon reporting (35%), reported lack of adequate knowledge about ADE (26%) while 20% thought it would disappear shortly and 14% did not find it necessary to report the reaction. Conclusion(s): Patients would want to report an ADE, but they do not have adequate knowledge about ADEs. Healthcare workers do not report because of fear and subjectivity. Dedicated pharmacovigilance interventions at the community level would improve community members' knowledge and hence ADE reporting.