Outcome measures and operational definition
The study measures the CPs’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices
regarding medication
safety. The operational definitions for these terms are as follows:
[18]
Knowledge: “Knowledge is a set of understandings, knowledge, and
science.” It is also one’s capacity for imagining, one’s way of
perceiving. Knowledge of a health behavior considered to be beneficial,
however, does not automatically mean that this behavior will be
followed. The degree of knowledge assessed by the survey helps to locate
areas where information and education efforts remain to be exerted.
Attitude: Attitude is a way of being, a position, but sometimes involves
leanings or “tendencies”. Attitude is an intermediate variable between
the situation and the response to the situation. It helps explain how
among the possible practices for a subject submitted to a stimulus, that
subject adopts one practice and not another. Attitudes are not directly
observable in practice; thus, it is a good idea to assess them.
Interestingly, numerous studies have often shown a low and sometimes no
connection between attitude and practices.
Practice: Practices or behaviors are the observable actions of an
individual in response to a stimulus. This is something that addresses
the concrete with actions. For practices related to health, one collects
information on consumption of tobacco or alcohol, the practice of
screening, vaccination practices, sporting activities, sexuality, etc.