OBJECTIVES: audit trail of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is essential in monitoring, minor, moderate, and severe life threatening conditions in pharmacotherapy. A good pharmacovigilance practice by healthcare workers is invaluable in preventing ADRs and promoting better patient care. This study evaluated healthcare workers attitude to ADRs monitoring in selected tertiary hospitals.

METHODS: a cross sectional descriptive survey of pharmacists, physicians, nurses and medical laboratory scientists was undertaken using structured validated questionnaire in English Language. The study lasted from April 2017 to October 2017. Only healthcare workers who have worked in the hospitals for more than 12 months and gave their informed consent participated in the study. Results were summarized with descriptive statistics of mean, percentage, and standard deviation. Inferential statistics were considered significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS: A total of 160 healthcare workers participated in the study. The mean ADRs score for the study was 4.29±0.71, p=0.082. The value for healthcare workers who believed that they do not need to discuss ADRs with patients was 2.75±1.18 at p= 0.05. Those who do not screen or assess patients for ADRs was 2.77±1.11, p= 0.17. Majority of the respondents believed that there was no functional ADRs committee in the hospitals 2.69±1.07 while 2.31±1.10 agreed that ADRs reporting forms are readily available in the hospitals (P=0.01). Only 26 (16.3%) of the entire workers have reported ADRs previously using the standard report form. (P= 0.302).

CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested poor ADRs reporting practices among healthcare workers and underscored the need for interventions aimed at improving their attitude for better patient care services.