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Table 1 Characteristics of the patient samples

From: Validation of the Adherence Barriers Questionnaire – an instrument for identifying potential risk factors associated with medication-related non-adherence

Variables

All AF patients in the ACT-AF study

AF patients participating in the survey

AF patients having completed the ABQ questionnaire without any data gaps

AF patients having completed both the ABQ and the modified ARMS scale

AF patients with complete ABQ data, who received VKA treatment and with at least 2 INR values available

N

786

570

432

401

371

Average age in years

73.17

(SD: 9.24)

73.08

(SD: 9.12)

72.74

(SD: 9.34)

73.09

(SD: 8.73)

72.79

(SD: 8.92)

Female gender

360

(45.8%)

264

(46.3%)

197

(45.6%)

178

(44.4%)

162

(43.7%)

Ø CHA2DS2-VASc score+

3.76

(SD: 1.63)

3.86

(SD: 1.62)

3.84

(SD: 1.66)

3.89

(SD: 1.63)

3.82

(SD: 1.64)

Ø Duration since first AF diagnosis in years

6.25

(SD: 5.43)

6.59

(SD: 5.83)

6.59

(SD: 5.83)

6.80

(SD: 5.73)

6.60

(SD: 5.34)

Average number of prescribed long-term medications as reported by treating physicians

6.33

(SD: 2.65)

6.32

(SD: 2.62)

6.62

(SD: 5.55)

6.30

(SD: 2.58)

6.25

(SD: 2.55)

Living arrangements

          

 Living alone

240

(30.5%)

167

(29.3%)

125

(28.9%)

114

(28.4%)

105

(28.3%)

 Living with a partner

530

(67.4%)

392

(68.8%)

299

(69.2%)

279

(69.6%)

260

(70.1%)

 Living in a care home

16

(2.1%)

11

(1.9%)

8

(1.9%)

8

(2.0%)

6

(1.6%)

Education level

          

 University degree

58

(7.4%)

41

(7.2%)

28

(6.5%)

25

(6.2%)

24

(6.5%)

 Apprenticeship

600

(76.3%)

440

(77.2%)

333

(77.1%)

312

(77.8%)

286

(77.1%)

 Without apprenticeship

128

(16.3%)

89

(15.6%)

71

(16.4%)

64

(16.0%)

61

(16.4%)

Employment status

          

 Employed

58

(7.4%)

37

(6.5%)

31

(7.2%)

27

(6.7%)

29

(7.8%)

 Unemployed

8

(1.0%)

9

(1.6%)

9

(2.1%)

8

(2.0%)

6

(1.6%)

 Pensioner

710

(90.3%)

517

(90.7%)

385

(89.1%)

361

(90.0%)

329

(88.7%)

 Other

10

(1.3%)

7

(1.2%)

7

(1.6%)

5

(1.2%)

7

(1.9%)

Cognitive impairment

65

(8.3%)

56

(9.8%)

39

(9.0%)

36

(9.0%)

31

(8.4%)

Hypertonia

655

(83.3%)

485

(85.1%)

362

(83.8%)

341

(85.0%)

314

(84.6%)

Diabetes mellitus type ½

274

(34.9%)

56

(37.9%)

166

(38.4%)

157

(39.2%)

147

(39.6%)

Dementia

54

(6.9%)

44

(7.7%)

34

(7.9%)

31

(7.7%)

26

(7.0%)

Depression

126

(16.0%)

98

(17.2%)

74

(17.1%)

65

(16.2%)

60

(16.2%)

Mental illness

63

(8.0%)

51

(8.9%)

40

(9.3%)

37

(9.2%)

31

(8.4%)

Cancer

84

(10.7%)

63

(11.1%)

46

(10.6%)

44

(11.0%)

43

(11.6%)

  1. + stroke risk factors (C = “Congestive heart failure” - 1 score point; H = “Hypertension” - 1 score point; A = Age ≥ 75 -2 score points; D = “Diabetes mellitus” - 1 score point; S = “Stroke/TIA” - 2 score points; V = Vascular disease - 1 score point; A = Age: 65–74 - 1 score point; S = “Sex category: female” - 1 score point).
  2. AF: Atrial Fibrillation, ACT-AF: Ambulant Care and Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation, ABQ: Adherence Barriers Questionnaire, ARMS: Adherence to Refills and Medications scale, INR: International Normalized Ratio.