PP028—Influence of pharmacological education on awareness of the risk of adverse drug reactions

Abstract

IntroductionThe assessment of the adverse drug reactions risk is an important factor in drug safety monitoring system. The aim of our study was to assess knowledge and attitudes of pharmacologically educated and pharmacologically noneducated students from the University of Montenegro regarding drug safety risk.Patients (or Materials) and MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, a self-completion questionnaire was delivered to 63 pharmacologically educated students (medical students who attended Pharmacology course and passed exams within it), 50 pharmacologically noneducated students (medical students who attended Pharmacology course but did not pass exams within it), and 50 students from other nonmedical faculties at the University of Montenegro.ResultsAs expected, pharmacologically educated students are considered to be better informed about ADRs than other participants (P < 0.01). Prescription drugs were ranked as less dangerous than self-medication by all participants. Anticoagulants were considered the most dangerous drugs by pharmacologically educated students (median, 7.5; scale, 1–10; interquartile range, 3.75–8), and antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics by pharmacologically noneducated students (median, 8, all). Information about drug safety significantly influenced the choice of therapy by both groups of students questioned (median, 8–10, all).ConclusionOn the basis of the aforementioned results, it can be concluded that when risk of adverse drug reactions is in question, pharmacologically educated students are much better informed than pharmacologically noneducated medical students and students from nonmedical faculties. Additional educational efforts are necessary to build awareness among general population of adverse drug reactions.Disclosure of InterestNone declared. IntroductionThe assessment of the adverse drug reactions risk is an important factor in drug safety monitoring system. The aim of our study was to assess knowledge and attitudes of pharmacologically educated and pharmacologically noneducated students from the University of Montenegro regarding drug safety risk. The assessment of the adverse drug reactions risk is an important factor in drug safety monitoring system. The aim of our study was to assess knowledge and attitudes of pharmacologically educated and pharmacologically noneducated students from the University of Montenegro regarding drug safety risk. Patients (or Materials) and MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, a self-completion questionnaire was delivered to 63 pharmacologically educated students (medical students who attended Pharmacology course and passed exams within it), 50 pharmacologically noneducated students (medical students who attended Pharmacology course but did not pass exams within it), and 50 students from other nonmedical faculties at the University of Montenegro. In this cross-sectional study, a self-completion questionnaire was delivered to 63 pharmacologically educated students (medical students who attended Pharmacology course and passed exams within it), 50 pharmacologically noneducated students (medical students who attended Pharmacology course but did not pass exams within it), and 50 students from other nonmedical faculties at the University of Montenegro. ResultsAs expected, pharmacologically educated students are considered to be better informed about ADRs than other participants (P < 0.01). Prescription drugs were ranked as less dangerous than self-medication by all participants. Anticoagulants were considered the most dangerous drugs by pharmacologically educated students (median, 7.5; scale, 1–10; interquartile range, 3.75–8), and antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics by pharmacologically noneducated students (median, 8, all). Information about drug safety significantly influenced the choice of therapy by both groups of students questioned (median, 8–10, all). As expected, pharmacologically educated students are considered to be better informed about ADRs than other participants (P < 0.01). Prescription drugs were ranked as less dangerous than self-medication by all participants. Anticoagulants were considered the most dangerous drugs by pharmacologically educated students (median, 7.5; scale, 1–10; interquartile range, 3.75–8), and antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics by pharmacologically noneducated students (median, 8, all). Information about drug safety significantly influenced the choice of therapy by both groups of students questioned (median, 8–10, all). ConclusionOn the basis of the aforementioned results, it can be concluded that when risk of adverse drug reactions is in question, pharmacologically educated students are much better informed than pharmacologically noneducated medical students and students from nonmedical faculties. Additional educational efforts are necessary to build awareness among general population of adverse drug reactions. On the basis of the aforementioned results, it can be concluded that when risk of adverse drug reactions is in question, pharmacologically educated students are much better informed than pharmacologically noneducated medical students and students from nonmedical faculties. Additional educational efforts are necessary to build awareness among general population of adverse drug reactions.