Dataset for the study: Prevalence and Impact of Phantom Vibration Syndrome on Pharmaceutical Care and Coping Strategies among Pharmacists in Nigeria

Phantom Vibration Syndrome (PVS) is the illusory perception that a mobile phone is vibrating when it is not. Pharmacists, whose responsibilities demand sustained concentration for tasks such as prescription review, dispensing, counselling, and medication safety, may be particularly vulnerable to these distractions yet data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce.<br>This study assessed the prevalence and severity of PVS among pharmacists in Nigeria, evaluated its impact on pharmaceutical care and explored coping strategies employed by affected pharmacists. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 131 pharmacists practicing in hospital and community pharmacy settings across Nigeria. A structured, self-administered online questionnaire was used to collect data. Phantom vibration syndrome prevalence and severity (6 items) was assessed using multiple choice and yes/no questions while impact of PVS on pharmaceutical care (15 items) and coping strategies (1 item) was assessed using Likert scale and multiple choice items. The Likert items were grouped into domains (workflow (3 items); counselling (5 items) and safety (4 items)). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Impact was assessed using domain-specific binary logistic regression, while severity was defined as the number of domains disrupted (0–3) and analysed using ordinal regression. Data were summarised using descriptive and inferential statistics. All analysis was carried out using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (IBM SPSS) version 27. Eighty-nine pharmacists (67.9%) reported experiencing PVS with most reporting occasional occurrence (51.1%). Two-thirds described PVS as not bothersome. Counselling was the most commonly disrupted domain (74.2%), followed by workflow (57.3%) and safety (42.7%). More than half of respondents (57.3%) reported disruption in at least one domain. Bothersomeness significantly predicted workflow disruption (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.10–0.79, p = 0.016), safety concerns (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11–0.86, p = 0.024), and overall severity (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.14–0.77, p = 0.011). Common coping strategies included reducing phone use (57.3%), switching to silent mode (50.4%), and disabling notifications (42.7%). This study found that PVS is highly prevalent among pharmacists in Nigeria, with significant impact on their workflow, patient counselling, and safety-related tasks. PVS bothersomeness was a key predictor of disruption severity across domains. The pharmacists employed various coping strategies highlighting the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the psychological impact of PVS and improve pharmaceutical care delivery. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of PVS on pharmacists' well-being and the quality of care in resource-limited settings.