BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy of the Turkish version of the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI), a widely used tool for assessing inhaler adherence in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 100 patients with asthma (n=50) or COPD (n=50) who were followed in outpatient clinics between February and May 2024. Adherence was assessed using the TAI-10 and TAI-12 questionnaires and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8). Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Construct validity was examined using Spearman correlation analysis, and diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.


RESULTS: The mean age was significantly higher in the COPD group than in the asthma group (70.9±8.3 vs. 48.0±17.3 years, p<0.001). The groups differed significantly in gender distribution, comorbidities, smoking status, symptom burden, and exacerbation history (all p<0.05). TAI and MMAS-8 did not differ significantly between asthma and COPD patients. The Turkish TAI demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.836 for TAI-10 and 0.826 for TAI-12) and strong correlations with MMAS-8 scores (r=0.917 and r=0.902; p<0.001). Both versions showed high diagnostic accuracy for identifying non-adherence (area under the curve=0.892 and 0.876), with optimal cut-off values of ≤45 for TAI-10 and ≤47 for TAI-12, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS: The Turkish versions of TAI-10 and TAI-12 are valid and reliable instruments with high diagnostic accuracy for assessing inhaler adherence in patients with asthma and COPD.