Brief evaluation of medication influences and beliefs: development and testing of a brief scale for medication adherence.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to develop and test a brief scale (Brief Evaluation of Medication Influences and Beliefs [BEMIB]) designed to identify patients who are more likely to be nonadherent to their antipsychotic medication.


METHODS
Sixty-three outpatients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders were enrolled and given an assessment battery including the BEMIB, a previously published adherence scale, extrapyramidal symptom rating scales, and an adherence assessment with patient self-report and prescription refill records. The BEMIB consisted of 8 statements derived from the health belief model with a 5-point Likert-type scale for each statement. Subjects chose a single answer for each item depending on their level of agreement or disagreement.


RESULTS
According to refill records, subjects meeting BEMIB-based criteria for nonadherence had significantly larger gaps in antipsychotic therapy (greater nonadherence) compared with those of participants not meeting criteria for nonadherence. For the 1-week test-retest reliability, the BEMIB total score and 5 of 8 single items correlated significantly. BEMIB total scores correlated significantly with an established assessment of adherence (Drug Attitude Inventory), demonstrating adequate construct validity.


CONCLUSIONS
The BEMIB represents a promising scale for identifying patients more likely to be nonadherent to their medications.
Dolder
Christian R
CR
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Lacro
Jonathan P
JP
Warren
Kathleen A
KA
Golshan
Shahrokh
S
Perkins
Diana O
DO
Jeste
Dilip V
DV
D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003469:Culture; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents