title: Validity of self-report measures in assessing antiretroviral adherence of newly diagnosed, HAART-naïve, HIV patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the performance of self-report instruments assessing adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients starting ART for the first time and in a predominately Hispanic population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 184 patients in a prospective observational cohort study of newly diagnosed, minority patients of low socioeconomic status, 54 were given Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) caps for their boosted protease inhibitor (PI) or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). They completed a 4-week recall visual analogue scale (VAS), the Adult AIDS Clinical Trial Group (AACTG) 4-day recall instrument, and a 1-month recall qualitative single-item measure every 3 months for up to 18 months in English or Spanish. Electronic pharmacy records recorded refill dates. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to compare self-report measures with MEMS data and pharmacy data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 46 patients with MEMS data, mean adherence was 84.7% (SD 35.6) by MEMS, 84.5% (SD 15.1) by pharmacy, 95.4% (SD 11.9) by VAS, 95.8% (SD 17.2) by AACTG, and 87.6% (SD 28.2) by qualitative single item. The correlation coefficient (CC) of VAS with MEMS was 0.37 (P < .01), and with pharmacy it was 0.34 (P < .01). The CC of the AACTG with MEMS was 0.32 (P < .01), and with pharmacy it was 0.28 (P < .01). The qualitative single item had a CC with MEMS of 0.24 (P < .01) and with pharmacy of 0.32 (P < .01). Spanish-speaking patients' VAS adherence had a CC of 0.40 (P < .01) with MEMS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VAS, AACTG, and qualitative single-item measures correlated significantly with MEMS and pharmacy data. Our data support self-administration of the VAS, even in Span-ish speakers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buscher
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kallen
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012646:Self Administration; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors