A Cross-Sectional Study on Determinants of ADR Reporting Behavior Among Healthcare Professionals

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a major contributor to illness, hospital admissions, and the overall healthcare burden. Reporting ADRs is vital for medication safety, but under-reporting remains a persistent problem worldwide. This study explored the awareness, attitude, practice, and barriers related to ADR reporting among healthcare professionals in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. The study included 68 participants, comprising doctors, pharmacists, nursing staff, and patients, and data were collected through both online and offline questionnaires. The tool gathered information on demographics, awareness of ADRs and PvPI, attitudes toward reporting, actual reporting behavior, and perceived barriers. The responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: Of the 68 participants, doctors (n=32) and pharmacists (n=18) showed better awareness of ADRs and PvPI than nursing staff (n=14) and patients (n=4). Most participants held a positive view of ADR reporting, agreeing that it improves patient safety and is an important professional responsibility. However, reporting practice was not as strong as awareness or attitude. Even though several respondents had come across ADRs in the previous six months, only some of them actually reported them. The main obstacles identified were lack of time, uncertainty about whether the drug caused the reaction, complicated reporting forms, limited access to reporting tools, and insufficient training. Conclusion: The study found that healthcare professionals had moderate awareness and generally positive attitudes toward ADR reporting, but their actual reporting practices were still weak. Improving reporting will require focused training, simpler reporting systems, and stronger support from healthcare institutions to strengthen pharmacovigilance efforts.