Adherence to inhaled medicines is estimated to be approximately 50% in individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This poor percentage of adherence worsens the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. The goal of this study was to update information on the primary questionnaires used on a daily basis to measure inhaler adherence in patients with chronic respiratory illnesses. The test of adherence to inhalers (TAI) is a 12-item questionnaire that was recently designed and validated to measure adherence to aerosolized medication inhalers in patients with asthma or COPD. The tool can readily identify nonadherence, rank it as excellent, moderate, or bad, and identify three nonadherence behavior patterns: erratic, intentional, and unwitting, which are valuable for customizing remedial actions.
When compared to other more sensitive techniques, the use of validated self-report questionnaires may underestimate adherence to inhaler devices. Validated self-report questionnaires, on the other hand, are more cost-effective in clinical practice. The recently validated TAI is an accurate and homogenous instrument for readily identifying nonadherence and behavioral obstacles to inhaler usage in individuals with asthma or COPD.
