Impact of Interview Mode on Accuracy of Child and Parent Report of Adherence With Asthma Controller Medication

METHODS. Each parent/child pair was assigned to 1 of 3 self-reporting modes: audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI), face-to-face interview with a member of the study staff, or self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The same mode was administered at each study visit for any given parent/child pair: baseline and at 1, 2, 3, and 4 months. Corticosteroid metered-dose inhalers were fitted with an electronic chronometer that captured the time and date of metered-dose inhaler dispensing, freshly initialized at baseline and at each study visit. Adherence was determined by dividing the number of puffs recorded by the number of puffs prescribed. Self-assessment of adherence was determined similarly for the 3 modes. The recall time frames were 1 week and 1 day. The primary outcome was self-reporting discrepancy (percent adherence recorded minus percent selfadherence self-reported). A positive discrepancy score represented underreporting, a negative score represented overreporting, and zero represented exact reporting. Adequate accuracy was considered when the discrepancy score was 25%.