Evaluation of Healthcare Professionals Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice towards the P-Drug Concept in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of North-West Maharashtra: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Rational use of medicines is essential for effective healthcare delivery and optimal patient outcomes. The Personal Drug (P-drug) concept, advocated by the World Health Organization, promotes rational prescribing through structured drug selection based on efficacy, safety, suitability, and cost. However, awareness and implementation of the P-drug concept among healthcare professionals remain variable.

Aim: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding the P-drug concept among postgraduate residents and teaching faculty in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North-West Maharashtra.

Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional questionnaire-based digital survey was conducted over six months among healthcare professionals working in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North-West Maharashtra. A total of 110 participants, including postgraduate residents and teaching faculty, were enrolled using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured digital questionnaire assessing demographic details and KAP domains related to the P-drug concept. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis, and findings were expressed as frequencies, percentages, and mean ± standard deviation.

Results: Among 110 participants, 60 (54.5%) were postgraduate residents and 50 (45.5%) were teaching faculty. Good knowledge regarding the P-drug concept was observed in 48.2% participants, with a mean knowledge score of 4.08 ± 1.21. Positive attitude toward the P-drug concept was observed in 81.8% participants, with a mean attitude score of 4.31 ± 0.58. However, practical implementation remained limited, with only 32.7% demonstrating good practice and a mean practice score of 2.09 ± 1.03. Only 34.5% participants maintained a personal P-drug list. The most commonly reported barriers were lack of awareness or formal training (72.7%) and limited drug availability in hospital supply (66.4%).

Conclusion: Healthcare professionals demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and favourable attitudes toward the P-drug concept; however, practical implementation in routine clinical practice remained inadequate. The findings highlight a significant knowledge–attitude–practice gap and emphasize the need for structured educational interventions, competency-based pharmacology training, and institutional support to strengthen rational prescribing practices