Perceptions and attitudes toward patient safety: perspectives of students in the medical and health sciences at the University of Aden, Yemen

Abstract Background Patient safety competencies remain insufficient among health sciences graduates, especially in conflict-affected areas. This study assessed perceptions and attitudes toward patient safety among undergraduate medical students at the University of Aden, Yemen. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in June 2023 using a validated self-administered questionnaire based on the WHO Multi-professional Patient Safety Curriculum Guide. The survey had five sections: Error and Patient Safety, Safety of the Healthcare System, Personal Influence, Personal Attitudes, and Workplace Safety. Data were analyzed using SPSS and summarized using descriptive statistics, while inter-college comparisons were conducted with one-way ANOVA. Results Among 1,233 participants, the majority were dentistry students (46.7%) and pharmacy students (29.0%). The general understanding of patient safety was inadequate, with just 32.0% acknowledging elements that affect safety and less than 24% familiar with mistake reporting protocols. A majority (58.2%) considered medical mistakes prevalent, while just 11.6% regarded their healthcare system as secure. Although 63.5% saw error reporting as advantageous, fewer than half believed they could reliably guarantee patient safety in practice. Perceptions of workplace safety were ambivalent, with just 58.8% anticipating managerial support for safety activities and merely 40% recognising incentives for error reporting. ANOVA indicated substantial differences among colleges (p < 0.001), with nursing students consistently exhibiting superior safety perceptions, and pharmacy students excelled compared to those in medicine and dentistry across several categories. Conclusion Positive attitudes coexist with major system and reporting gaps, requiring interprofessional, non-punitive, experiential patient safety education.