Relationships between beliefs about medications and adherence.
OBJECTIVE
The relationships between beliefs about medications, health literacy, and self-reported medication adherence are examined.


METHODS
Patients from an inner-city hospital pharmacy completed an in-person, interviewer-assisted questionnaire that included the Morisky 8-item Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), the Beliefs About Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ), and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of self-reported medication adherence as determined by the MMAS-8. Variables included in the model were summary scores from the BMQ, REALM, and patient or regimen characteristics that were significantly associated with the MMAS-8.


RESULTS
A majority of the 275 study participants were African-American (86.2%), were women (73.1%), and could read at less than a high school reading level (59.7%). The average age was 53.9 years. Approximately half of the patients (52.7%) reported low medication adherence (MMAS-8 score of >2). Multivariate analyses indicated several factors were associated with low self-reported adherence, including negative beliefs about medications, younger age, low medication self-efficacy, and hyperlipidemia. Health literacy was not independently associated with beliefs or adherence.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who had negative beliefs about medications, who were <65 years of age, or who had low medication self-efficacy reported low medication adherence.
Gatti
Margaret E
ME
School of Medicine, George-town University, Washington, DC, USA. margaret.gatti@gmail.com
Jacobson
Kara L
KL
Gazmararian
Julie A
JA
Schmotzer
Brian
B
Kripalani
Sunil
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010045:Outpatients; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires