# Hospital Pharmacists’ Attitudes and Intentions Toward Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting in Saudi Arabia: Insights from the Theory of Planned Behavior

## TL;DR

This study explores hospital pharmacists in Saudi Arabia's attitudes and intentions toward reporting adverse drug reactions using the theory of planned behavior.

## Contribution

The study applies the theory of planned behavior to identify factors influencing ADR reporting intentions among hospital pharmacists in Saudi Arabia.

## Key findings

- Only 30% of hospital pharmacists reported adverse drug reactions in the past year despite high awareness of the national pharmacovigilance center.
- Subjective norms and moral obligation were significant predictors of hospital pharmacists' intention to report ADRs.
- Enhancing education and addressing barriers could improve ADR reporting adherence and pharmacovigilance practices.

## Abstract

Objective: This study assessed hospital pharmacists’ awareness, attitudes, and behaviors regarding adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting and explored cognitive factors shaping hospital pharmacists’ intentions to report ADRs, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a framework. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospital pharmacists from various regions of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected on their intentions to report ADRs to the national pharmacovigilance center (NPC), along with their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control related to ADR reporting. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, while multivariate logistic regression analyzed the influence of TPB constructs on reporting intentions. Results: A total of 141 hospital pharmacists participated in the study. While 86.5% of them were aware of the Saudi NPC, only 30% had reported ADRs in the past year. A strong intention to report ADRs was observed in 56% of the hospital pharmacists. Additionally, 53% exhibited a highly positive attitude, 57% perceived strong social norms, 52.5% reported high perceived behavioral control, and 63.8% expressed a strong moral obligation to report ADRs. Subjective norms and moral obligation emerged as significant predictors of the hospital pharmacists’ intention to report ADRs, according to the TPB constructs. Conclusions: While awareness of the Saudi NPC among hospital pharmacists was high, ADR reporting rates were low. Enhancing education, addressing barriers, and leveraging moral and normative drivers may strengthen pharmacovigilance practices and improve ADR reporting adherence among hospital pharmacists, ultimately fostering safer healthcare delivery.