Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Pharmacovigilance among Healthcare Professionals in the North-Eastern Region of Kenya

Abstract

Background: Some healthcare facilities in Kenya demonstrate low engagement in pharmacovigilance activities, contributing to gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices among healthcare professionals in the reporting of adverse drug reactions.
Aim: This study assessed the gaps in the knowledge, attitude and practices of pharmacovigilance among healthcare professionals that existed within the Pharmacovigilance System of the North Eastern Region of Kenya and possible areas of intervention by various stakeholders.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study design recruited 306 Healthcare Professionals from health facilities in the North Eastern Region of Kenya. A convenient sampling method was used to recruit healthcare professionals working in private, public and faith-based health facilities. Data was collected using a pre-designed questionnaire. Descriptive and linear regression analyses of the data were done using STATA Version 13 software. The level of significance was set at 5%.
Results: The majority scored between 60–80% (45.8%) in the knowledge assessment test, while (71.2%) scored 100% in the attitude assessment. Statistically significant differences in knowledge scores were observed among professional groups (χ² = 36.91, df = 5, P<.01) and across educational qualifications (χ² = 102.3, df = 5, P<.01). Specialists, who also had the highest educational qualifications, achieved the highest median knowledge score, while clinical officers had the lowest.
Conclusion: Healthcare professionals in the North Eastern Region of Kenya demonstrated highly positive attitudes toward pharmacovigilance, with most participants recognizing adverse drug reaction reporting as a professional responsibility and expressing strong willingness to engage in reporting. However, this positive attitude was not fully matched by knowledge and practice levels, as moderate knowledge gaps and weak reporting practices were observed across key pharmacovigilance domains. In addition, pharmacovigilance reporting was hindered by several barriers, particularly lack of motivation (93.3%), limited supportive environments for discussing adverse drug reactions, and fear of legal liability.