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Drug Safety
Published in: Drug Safety 11/2007

01-11-2007 | Original Research Article

Factors that Influence Under-Reporting of Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions among Community Pharmacists in a Spanish Region

Authors: Marta Irujo, Guadalupe Beitia, Maira Bes-Rastrollo, Adolfo Figueiras, Sonia Hernández-Diaz, Dr Berta Lasheras

Published in: Drug Safety | Issue 11/2007

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Abstract

Background: The spontaneous reporting system is the most efficient warning system of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Pharmacists can play an important role in the detection and reporting of ADRs. The factors that affect under-reporting among these professionals are unknown in Spain.
Objective: To identify the factors that influence community pharmacists’ ADR under-reporting in Navarra, a Northern Spanish region.
Methods: A case-control study was conducted on a population of 802 community pharmacists working in Navarra. Cases were pharmacists who had reported at least two ADRs to the region’s drug surveillance unit between 2003 and 2005 and who agreed to participate in the study (18/20; 90%). A random sample of 60 controls was selected from the 762 pharmacists who had not reported any ADR during the same period of time.
Results: Factors positively associated with ADR reporting were age, years of work experience as a pharmacist, participation in educational activities related to the detection and resolution of drug-related problems, the habit of detecting ADRs as part of pharmacists’ duties, having the basic knowledge needed to report ADRs, and disagreement with the common belief among healthcare professionals that ’to report an ADR it is necessary to be sure that the reaction is related to the use of a particular drug’. The most frequently mentioned reasons for not reporting ADRs were the ADR is not serious, the ADR is already known, uncertainty concerning the causal relationship between the ADR and the drug, forgetting to report the ADR and a lack of time.
Conclusions: Pharmacists’ knowledge, beliefs, behaviour and motivation play an important role in ADR reporting. Under-reporting might be improved through activities focused on modifying such factors.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Factors that Influence Under-Reporting of Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions among Community Pharmacists in a Spanish Region
Authors
Marta Irujo
Guadalupe Beitia
Maira Bes-Rastrollo
Adolfo Figueiras
Sonia Hernández-Diaz
Dr Berta Lasheras
Publication date
01-11-2007
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Drug Safety / Issue 11/2007
Print ISSN: 0114-5916
Electronic ISSN: 1179-1942
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200730110-00006

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