Impact of an Educational Intervention on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting: A Comparative Study Among Pharmacy Students and Hospital Pharmacists in a Tertiary Care Setting

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a major contributor to preventable morbidity and healthcare burden worldwide. Effective pharmacovigilance systems depend on spontaneous reporting; however, underreporting remains a global challenge, particularly in developing countries such as India. Educational interventions have been shown to improve ADR reporting behavior among healthcare professionals. Objective: To evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related to ADR reporting among Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) students, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) students, and hospital pharmacists, and to assess the effectiveness of a structured educational workshop. Methods: A cross-sectional interventional study was conducted among 181 participants (62 Pharm.D. students, 111 B.Pharm. students, and eight hospital pharmacists) at a tertiary care hospital in Maharashtra. A prevalidated KAP questionnaire was administered before and after an educational workshop. A paired t-test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis (p<0.05 considered significant). Results: A total of 181 participants were included, comprising Pharm.D. students (n=62), B.Pharm. students (n=111), and hospital pharmacists (n=8). Baseline knowledge was highest among Pharm.D. students (42/62, 67.7%), followed by hospital pharmacists (5/8, 62.5%) and B.Pharm students (57/111, 51.4%). Post-intervention, knowledge improved significantly across all groups (p < 0.05). Attitude scores also improved, particularly among hospital pharmacists from 5/8 (62.5%) to 7/8 (87.5%). ADR reporting practice increased from 12/62 (19.4%) to 41/62 (66.1%) in Pharm.D. students, 24/111 (21.6%) to 43/111 (38.7%) in B.Pharm. students, and 1/8 (12.5%) to 2/8 (25.0%) among hospital pharmacists. Overall, the intervention resulted in a significant improvement in KAP related to ADR reporting (chi-square test, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Structured educational workshops significantly improve ADR reporting competence. Integration of pharmacovigilance training into pharmacy curricula and professional development programs is essential to strengthen patient safety frameworks.