Table 3.
Self-report adherence scales – administration, response and validation data
| Self-report adherence scale | Reference number | How scale was administered | Response rate | Internal consistency | Sensitivity | Specificity | Correlation (criterion validity) | Comparison measure of adherence | Sample size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: Medication-taking behaviour | |||||||||
| Adherence Self-Report Questionnaire (ASRQ) | [41] | Clinician-administered (Other HCP) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) | 245 |
| [94] | Clinician-administered (Primary physician) | 53% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) and Other scale (VAS) | 78 | |
| Adherence Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Computerized | [52] | Self-administered (Home, Internet) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Dose counts and Clinical outcome (Viral load) | 290 |
| Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS) | [33] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | α = 0.92 | 0.73 | 0.74 | Significant | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) | 61 |
| Barroso et al. 30-day Adherence Question | [53] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (Viral load) | 93 |
| Bell et al. Adherence Question | [42] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | 80% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) and Dose count | 80 |
| Centre for Adherence Support Evaluation (CASE) Adherence Index | [54] | Clinician-administered (Primary physician) | Not reported | Not reported | 0.70 | 0.71 | Significant (all) | Clinical outcome (Viral load) and Self-report | 524 |
| Gehi et al. Adherence Question | [9] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (Cardiovascular events) | 1015 |
| Grymonpre et al. Adherence Question | [43] | Researcher-administered (Home) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Pharmacy records and Dose counts | 135 |
| Kerr et al. Adherence Question | [44] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not significant | Pharmacy records | 88 |
| Medication Adherence Report Scale – 5 (MARS-5) [85] | [5] | Clinician-administered (Primary physician) | Not reported | Not reported | 0.085 | 0.97 | Not significant | Pharmacy records | 128 |
| [71] | Self-administered (Clinic, Present) | Not reported | α = 0.78 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Drug levels and Self-report | 255 | |
| Stages of Change for Adherence (SOCA) | [55] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) and Other scale (BMAS) | 731 |
| Group 2: Medication-taking behaviour and barriers | |||||||||
| Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS) | [51] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 89% | α = 0.81 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Clinical outcome (BP control), Pharmacy records and Other scale (MAQ) | 435 |
| Adherence Starts with Knowledge-12 (ASK-12) | [45] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.75 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Pharmacy record and Other scale (MAQ) | 112 |
| Adherence Starts with Knowledge-20 (ASK-20) | [46] | Self-administered (Home, Internet) | Not reported | α = 0.85 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Self-report | 605 |
| [95] | Self-administered (Clinic, Present) | Not reported | α = 0.76 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (Scale only) | Pharmacy records and Other scale (MAQ) | 112 | |
| Brief Medication Questionnaire | [40] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 92% | Not reported | 0.80 | 1.00 | Significant | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) | 43 |
| Brooks Medication Adherence Scale (BMAS) | [56] | Self-administered (Unclear) | 86% | α = 0.69 | Not reported | Not reported | – | Nil | 294 |
| [96] | Self-administered (Home) | 63% | α = 0.86 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Pharmacy records and Self-report | 98 | |
| Choo et al. 5-item Questionnaire | [57] | Researcher-administered (Telephone) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) | 286 |
| Fodor et al. Adherence Questionnaire | [72] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (BP control) | 359 |
| Godin et al. Self-Reported Adherence Questionnaire | [47] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | Not reported | 0.71 | 0.72 | Not significant | Clinical outcome (Viral suppression) | 256 |
| Hill-Bone Compliance Scale – 10 | [8] | Researcher-and self-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | α = 0.79 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (BP control) | 98 |
| Hill-Bone Compliance Scale – 14 | [62] | Researcher-and self-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | α = 0.84 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (BP control) | 718 |
| Immunosuppressant Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS) | [58] | Self-administered (Home) | 91% | α = 0.81 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Pharmacy records, Drug levels and Clinical outcome (Rejection) | 222 |
| Medication Adherence Assessment Tool (MAAT) | [80] | Self-administered (Clinic) | 29% | α = 0.80 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Pharmacy records | 289 |
| Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) | [34] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 98% | α = 0.83 | 0.93 | 0.53 | Significant | Clinical outcome (BP control) | 1367 |
| [20] | Self-administered (Unclear) | 66% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Pharmacy records | 87 | |
| [97] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 82% | α = 0.56 | 0.73 | 0.36 | Significant | Pharmacy records | 151 | |
| Osteoporosis-Specific Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (OS-MMAS) | [48] | Self-administered (Home) | 39% | α = 0.82 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire) | 197 |
| Pediatric Inhaler Adherence Questionnaire (PIAQ) | [49] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | Not reported | 0.63 | 0.91 | Significant | Dose counts | 64 |
| Reported Adherence to Medicine (RAM) Scale | [10] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.72 | Not reported | Not reported | – | Nil | 524 |
| [50] | Self-administered (Home) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire) | 271 | |
| Self-Reported Adherence (SERAD) Questionnaire | [59] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS), Dose counts and Drug levels | 530 |
| Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ) | [39] | Clinician-administered (Primary physician) | Not reported | α = 0.75 | 0.72 | 0.91 | Significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) and Clinical outcome (Viral load) | 40 |
| The Patterns of Asthma Medication Use Questionnaire | [60] | Self-administered (Home) | 70% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Pharmacy records and Clinical outcome (Asthma) | 176 |
| Group 3: Barriers to adherence | |||||||||
| Adherence Attitude Inventory (AAI) | [63] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.90 | Not reported | Not reported | Not significant | Self-report | 165 |
| Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ) | [73] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 73% | α = 0.61 | 0.81 | 0.44 | Significant | Clinical outcome (BP control) | 290 |
| [76] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | α = 0.32 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Pharmacy records | 377 | |
| [5] | Clinician-administered (Primary physician) | Not reported | Not reported | 0.32 | 0.73 | Not significant | Pharmacy records | 128 | |
| [77] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS), Dose counts and Drug levels | 385 | |
| [98] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 32% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (Diabetes control) | 186 | |
| [99] | Researcher-administered (Home) | 88% | α = 0.42 | Not reported | Not reported | Not significant | Dose counts | 319 | |
| [78] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Dose counts | 413 | |
| [100] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 81% | α = 0.62 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Clinical outcome (Diabetes control) | 294 | |
| Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale (MASES) | [64] | Self-administered (Unclear) | Not reported | α = 0.95 | Not reported | Not reported | Not significant | Clinical outcome (BP control) | 72 |
| Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale Revised (MASES-R) | [79] | Self-administered (Clinic, Present) | Not reported | α = 0.91 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) and Other scale (MAQ) | 168 |
| Medication Adherence Reasons Scale | [66] | Self-administered (Home, Internet) | Not reported | α = 0.65 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (MAQ) | 840 |
| Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Scale (SEAMS) | [65] | Self-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | α = 0.89 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (MAQ) | 436 |
| Group 4: Beliefs associated with adherence | |||||||||
| Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire | [10] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.70 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (RAM) | 524 |
| [2] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | 57% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (MARS-5) | 324 | |
| [101] | Self-administered (Clinic) | Not reported | α = 0.73 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (MAQ) | 192 | |
| [102] | Self-administered (Clinic, Present) | 93% | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (MMAS) | 275 | |
| Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) | [4] | Self-administered (Home) | Not reported | α = 0.93 | 0.72 | 0.63 | Significant | Therapist report | 150 |
| Group 5: Barriers and beliefs | |||||||||
| Beliefs and Behaviour Questionnaire (BBQ) | [67] | Self-administered (Home, Post) | 53% | α = 0.65 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Other scale (MARS) | 276 |
| Brief Evaluation of Medication Influences and Beliefs (BEMIB) | [68] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.63 | 0.83 | 0.71 | Not significant (all) | Pharmacy records and Other scale (DAI) | 63 |
| Compliance Questionnaire Rheumatology (CQR) | [61] | Researcher-administered (Home) | Not reported | α = 0.71 | 0.98 | 0.67 | Significant | Self-report | 127 |
| [75] | Self-administered (Home) | 82% | Not reported | 0.62 | 0.95 | Significant | Electronic monitoring (MEMS) | 127 | |
| Maastricht Utrecht Adherence in Hypertension (MUAH) Questionnaire | [69] | Researcher-administered (Clinic) | 90% | α = 0.74 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (all) | Electronic monitoring (MEMS), Pharmacy records and Other scale (Brief Medication Questionnaire) | 255 |
| Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS) | [70] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.75 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant (Drug levels only) | Drug levels or Caregiver report | 66 |
| [103] | Self-administered (Clinic, Absent) | Not reported | α = 0.62 | Not reported | Not reported | Significant | Caregiver report | 277 | |
Home– patients completed adherence scale at home; Clinic– patients completed adherence scale in clinic, researcher or clinician may be present or absent while patient fills out form; Telephone – patients completed adherence scale over the telephone; Primary physician = Patient's usual physician; Other HCP = Other health care professionals looking after patient; α = Cronbach's alpha of reliability; BP = Blood pressure.