Development and Validation of the Patient/Caregiver Reported Hydroxyurea Evaluation of Adherence for Life (HEAL) Scale.
Isaac A JansonEllen M BloomKisha C HamptonEmily Riehm MeierAngeli G RampersadWilliam G KronenbergerPublished in: Patient preference and adherence (2022)
Results demonstrated excellent internal consistency for the HEAL Total score and eight (3-item) subscale scores (Dose, Remember, Plan, Cost, Understand, Effectiveness, Laboratory, and Pharmacy), as well as strong test-retest reliability for all HEAL scores except the Cost subscale. HEAL Total scores correlated significantly with validity measures, including global adherence ratings and lab values. The HEAL scale offers significant clinical potential for understanding adherence in individual sickle cell disease patients and significant research potential for characterizing adherence in persons with sickle cell disease who are treated with hydroxyurea.