Perception of Medical Errors among Doctors Practicing in a State in South-East Nigeria Medical errors among doctors in Anambra State

Abstract

Background: Majority of medical errors are harmless while those that are adverse could be a source of worry. Different incidence and patterns have been recorded worldwide. Objective: The study aims at evaluating the pattern, knowledge and perception of medical errors among doctors practicing in Anambra State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study done over a six-month period. Ethical approval was collected from the Ethics Committee of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka. Results were analyzed by simple descriptive statistics using SPSS version 25 while data were presented in tables and charts. Results: A total of 239 doctors participated in the study with a mean age of 38± 10.7 years. A total of 42.4% of the respondents were male resident doctors, while the mean post-graduation year was 11.1±9.9 years. Most of the participants (97.5%) were aware of medical errors. Most respondents (89.1%) also agreed that doctors commit medical errors and with caution, this can be minimized. Medical prescription was the most common source of medical error. More people did not know about wrong side surgery. About 71% did not believe that life-threatening errors should be disclosed to the patients. About 64.5% of the respondents had positive attitude toward disclosure. After disclosure, 60% were anxious. One respondent was convicted for a medical error. Conclusion: Most doctors in Anambra are aware of medical errors, while prescription error tops the list. Anxiety results from disclosure of medical errors by the doctors involved. The risk of litigation was real.