An Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting among Prescribers in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Eastern India

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent a significant global health concern, yet under-reporting persists as a critical pharmacovigilance challenge in developing countries, necessitating evaluation of prescribers' knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) regarding ADR reporting.Objective: To evaluate the KAPs of ADR reporting among prescribers at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Eastern India.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted at MGM Medical College and LSK Hospital, Kishanganj, Bihar, from January to February 2024.A validated 19-item KAP questionnaire was administered to prescribers, including faculty, resident doctors, and interns.Knowledge was scored out of 10 points and categorized as poor (0-3), average (4-6), or good (7-10).Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, with the Chi-square test for categorical variables and appropriate non-parametric tests for continuous data.Results and analysis: Of 274 distributed questionnaires, 168 were returned (61.31% response rate), comprising 43 faculty (25.60%), 74 resident doctors (44.05%), and 51 interns (30.36%).Mean knowledge scores were moderate overall (6.07 ± 1.531), with faculty scoring highest (6.59 ± 1.329), followed by resident doctors (6.07 ± 1.531) and interns (5.62 ± 1.186) (p = 0.002).While 93-99% correctly defined pharmacovigilance, significant knowledge gaps existed regarding banned drugs (p < 0.0001) and institutional monitoring centers (57-72% unaware).Attitudes were predominantly positive, with 90-100% acknowledging reporting necessity, though only 16-60% viewed it as a professional obligation.Most critically, actual reporting practices were severely deficient, with only 16-18% having submitted ADR forms, 69-77% lacking access to reporting forms, and 80-92% never receiving formal training.Conclusion: Despite moderate knowledge and positive attitudes, prescribers demonstrated critically deficient ADR reporting practices due to systemic barriers, including lack of procedural knowledge, limited infrastructure access, and minimal training.Multi-faceted interventions addressing both individual knowledge deficits and institutional barriers are urgently needed to enhance pharmacovigilance and patient safety.