Knowledge, attitude and practices of materiovigilance among healthcare practitioners in Mulago National Referral Hospital

Abstract

The safety of patients is of utmost importance, and with the rise in reported medical device-related adverse events it has become clear that healthcare practitioners must understand the concept of materiovigilance. Limited knowledge of and poor attitude towards materiovigilance among healthcare practitioners can lead to underreporting and poor management of medical device-related risks, compromising patient safety and hindering the identification of device malfunctions or adverse events. We conducted a study at MNRH (Mulago National Referral Hospital) to gain insight into their current knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding materiovigilance. The main objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of materiovigilance among healthcare practitioners at MNRH. It was a cross-sectional quantitative study that was conducted among healthcare practitioners using a self-administered, validated questionnaire. The study population were healthcare practitioners who interact with medical devices during their work at MNRH. Sample size of 145 was determined using Cochran`s formula. A well-designed structured questionnaire was distributed to the participants based on the sampling method. The data collected was analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics version 24 software. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 149 healthcare practitioners to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practice of materiovigilance. The response rate was 100%. While 76.5% of participants demonstrated good knowledge and 98.7% showed a positive attitude, only 8.1% reported good practice. Awareness of existing regulations and training on materiovigilance was low (12.1% and 4% respectively). Despite 79.9% having observed adverse events related to medical devices, only 13.4% had ever reported them, and just 2% received feedback. Key barriers to reporting included lack of knowledge of the reporting system (36.2%), lack of training (31.5%), and fear of blame or legal consequences (17.4%). These findings underscore the urgent need for training, confidential reporting systems, legal protections, and a supportive, no-blame culture to strengthen materiovigilance practices. Healthcare practitioners showed good knowledge and attitudes, although poor materiovigilance practice persisted due to training gaps, unclear reporting systems, and fear of blame, highlighting the need for clear guidelines, independent reporting, and targeted education.