The eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale: validation of its Persian version in diabetic adults

Adherence to treatment is an important factor in the management of diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) among type 2 diabetes.

This study carried out in Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) in Tabriz, North West of Iran from May to September 2018. A total of 320 patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes were included. Content and face validity of the Persian version of MMAS-8 ‎ were quantitatively evaluated. The Cronbachchr('39')s alpha and intra-class correlation (ICC) were calculated to assess the reliability. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to assess the construct validity of the questionnaire.

Content and face validity of the Persian version of MMAS-8 were confirmed. Good internal consistency (Cronbach’s a = 0.83) and test–retest reliability (ICC= 0.87, P<0.001) were found. According to the results of the EFA, Persian version of MMAS-8 among diabetic patients had two dimensions: stopping to take medication due to the forgetfulness and for reasons other than forgetfulness.

The Persian version of the MMAS-8 is a high valid and reliable questionnaire to screen medication adherence of Persian-speaking patients with diabetes.