Adverse drug reaction reporting in a pharmacovigilance centre of Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance is the "science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug related problems". Nepal joined the international pharmacovigilance programme as a full member in 2007. KIST Medical College, Lalitpur, Nepal joined the national programme as a regional centre from mid-July 2008. Currently, the pattern and scope of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in Nepal remains unexplored. AIMS: To observe and analyse the pattern of ADRs at KIST Medical College, Lalitpur, Nepal. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of all ADRs reported to the centre from mid July 2008 to July 2011 was performed. Data was analysed for ADR severity, causality, and preventability. RESULTS: A total of 113 ADR reports were obtained from various clinical departments. The maximum number of reactions was due to antimicrobials, followed by anti-hypertensives and NSAIDs. CONCLUSION: Antimicrobials were the commonest group of drugs causing ADRs and the most commonly seen ADR was maculopapular rash followed by diarrhea and vomiting.

Change in medical students' readiness for self-directed learning after a partially problem-based learning first year curriculum at the KIST medical college in Lalitpur, Nepal.

INTRODUCTION: Modern medical education and the requirement for lifelong learning place increasing emphasis on self-directed learning. Studies have not been done on readiness for self-directed learning (SDL) among medical students in Nepal. The present study was carried out to (1) measure and compare readiness for SDL among medical students, and (2) note differences in readiness for SDL according to students' personal characteristics at the beginning and end of the first year of the MBBS course for medical students at the KIST Medical College in Nepal. METHODS: The study was done using the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale. Respondents' agreement with each of forty statements pertinent to self-directed learning readiness using a modified Likert-type scale was noted. The mean total and scores on the subcategories 'self-management', 'desire for learning' and 'self-control' were calculated and compared across subgroups of respondents and in January and August 2010 using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: All 100 students participated in January while 90 participated in August. The mean scores varied with certain demographic and background characteristics. The mean total score increased from 152.7 to 157.3 while the self-management score increased significantly from 48.6 to 50.2 from January to August. There were small increases in the mean desire for learning scores from 46.9 to 47.7 and in the self-control scores from 58 to 59 from January to August, but not in other scores. CONCLUSIONS: Self-directed learning scores were lower among these Nepalese students than reported elsewhere in the literature. Total scores and self-management scores improved at the end of the first year, but not scores on desire for learning and self-control.