title: Quantifying behavioural determinants relating to health professional reporting of medication errors: a cross-sectional survey using the Theoretical Domains Framework.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to quantify the behavioural determinants of health professional reporting of medication errors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to explore any differences between respondents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of patient-facing doctors, nurses and pharmacists within three major hospitals of Abu Dhabi, the UAE. An online questionnaire was developed based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF, a framework of behaviour change theories). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify components and internal reliability determined. Ethical approval was obtained from a UK university and all hospital ethics committees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and ninety-four responses were received. Questionnaire items clustered into six components of knowledge and skills, feedback and support, action and impact, motivation, effort and emotions. Respondents generally gave positive responses for knowledge and skills, feedback and support and action and impact components. Responses were more neutral for the motivation and effort components. In terms of emotions, the component with the most negative scores, there were significant differences in terms of years registered as health professional (those registered longest most positive, p = 0.002) and age (older most positive, p < 0.001) with no differences for gender and health profession.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emotional-related issues are the dominant barrier to reporting and are common to all professions. There is a need to develop, test and implement an intervention to impact health professionals' emotions. Such an intervention should focus on evidence-based behaviour change techniques of reducing negative emotions, focusing on emotional consequences and providing social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • This research used the Theoretical Domains Framework to quantify the behavioural determinants of health professional reporting of medication errors. • Questionnaire items relating to emotions surrounding reporting generated the most negative responses with significant differences in terms of years registered as health professional (those registered longest most positive) and age (older most positive) with no differences for gender and health profession. • Interventions based on behaviour change techniques mapped to emotions should be prioritised for development.
authors: School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Sir Ian Wood Building, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.
authors: Mai
authors: M
authors: Alqubaisi
authors: School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Sir Ian Wood Building, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Tonna
authors: School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Sir Ian Wood Building, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.
authors: Alison
authors: A
authors: Strath
authors: School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Sir Ian Wood Building, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK. d.stewart@rgu.ac.uk.
authors: Derek
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7360-8592
authors: D
authors: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001519:Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012308:Risk Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates
keywords: Cross-sectional survey; Error reporting; Medication errors; Theoretical Domains Framework