Analysis

The Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire (BMQ) is a tool developed to assess patients’ beliefs regarding the medications they are prescribed. It includes two main scales: the “General Beliefs” scale, which measures general perceptions about medications, and the “Specific Beliefs” scale, which focuses on the medications prescribed to the patient. Each scale includes subscales that examine different dimensions of beliefs, such as concerns about side effects and the belief in the necessity of medications.

Purpose

The primary aim of the BMQ is to understand patients’ views on medication use, in order to identify factors that may influence adherence to treatment. By gaining this understanding, healthcare professionals can provide better support to patients, improve medication compliance, and adjust interventions to meet the patients’ needs.

Scoring

The BMQ is scored using a Likert scale, where participants are asked to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a series of statements about medications. The scale typically ranges from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The scores from the subscales are combined to provide an overall picture of the patient’s beliefs about medication.

Key References

Horne, R., & Weinman, J. (1999). Patients’ beliefs about prescribed medicines and their role in adherence to treatment in chronic physical illness. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 47(6), 555-567.
Horne, R., Weinman, J., & Hankins, M. (1999). The Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire: The development and evaluation of a new method for assessing the cognitive representation of medication. Psychology and Health, 14(1), 1-24.
Horne, R., Chapman, S. C. E., Parham, R., Freemantle, N., Forbes, A., & Cooper, V. (2013). Understanding patients’ adherence-related beliefs about medicines prescribed for long-term conditions: A meta-analytic review of the Necessity-Concerns Framework. PLoS ONE, 8(12), e80633.
These studies provide the theoretical basis for the BMQ, as well as its validation and evaluation across different settings and populations.
The Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire (BMQ) is an essential tool for understanding patient beliefs, which can directly influence treatment adherence and help healthcare providers optimize treatment plans.