Health Care : Current Reviews

A cross-sectional study on knowledge and perceptions of pharmacovigilance among pharmacy students of selected tertiary institutions in Jordan

4^th Global Summit on Healthcare

November 09-10, 2015 Dubai, UAE

Mervat Alsous

Applied Science University, Jordan

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Health Care: Current Reviews

Abstract:

Use of medicine is usually associated with harm that may range from mild to fatal adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Pharmacists as health care professionals working in a hospital or community pharmacy can play an essential role in both pharmacovigilance activities and ADRs reporting. This study has been conducted to assess perceptions and knowledge of pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) reporting among Bachelor of Pharmacy (Bpharm) and Doctor of Pharmacy (pharmD) students of selected tertiary institutions in Jordan. A 434 pharmacy students filled a validated structured questionnaires about pharmacovigilance. A majority of the students have insufficient awareness and lack of knowledge of pharmacovigilance and ADRs reporting with a mean knowledge score of 4/10. PharmD students showed better knowledge about pharmacovigilance and ADRs reporting system than the BPharm students (knowledge score of 5.4 versus 3.2, respectively; p=0.000). About two-thirds of the students expressed a positive attitude toward pharmacovigilance and ADRs issues and agreed that they would be willing to report ADRs during their clerkship program. In a conclusion, BPharm and PharmD students have insufficient knowledge of the concept of pharmacovigilance and ADRs reporting. There is a need to incorporate pharmacovigilance into pharmacy curriculum in order to increase its awareness among pharmacy students which will positively impact on the practice and enhance public health.

Biography :

Mervat Alsous has completed her PhD from the School of Pharmacy/ Queen’s University Belfast/ UK. She is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacokinetics in the Faculty of Pharmacy/ Applied Science Private University/Amman, Jordan. She has published 2 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of “UK Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biosciences”.

Email: m_alsous@asu.edu.jo