Understanding health students' knowledge of adverse drug reactions

This study investigated the knowledge of students from the Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine, and Dentistry courses at UNITPAC regarding Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs). A total of 111 students participated, with a percentage distribution per course of 34% in Pharmacy, 31% in Nursing, 20% in Medicine, and 15% in Dentistry. The results revealed that the majority of students acquired knowledge about pharmacovigilance and ADRs during their undergraduate studies, but there was variation among courses. Pharmacy had the highest knowledge index (71.1%) in pharmacovigilance, while Medicine had the greatest understanding of ADRs (72.7%). However, Nursing (26.5%) and Dentistry (17.6%) showed lower understanding of pharmacovigilance. Regarding knowledge about ADRs, Pharmacy (94.7%) and Medicine (72.7%) had the highest rates. In contrast, Nursing (73.5%) and Dentistry (41.2%) had lower comprehension. Polypharmacy was poorly understood, with 68.4% of Pharmacy students recognizing the term, compared to 17.6% of Dentistry students. The majority of students correctly defined ADRs, with Medicine (90.9%) and Pharmacy (89.5%) standing out. The research indicates the need for improvements in student education, especially in Nursing and Dentistry, to ensure a more comprehensive understanding and adequately prepare them to deal with ADRs in professional practice.