Hill-Bone Compliance Scale (HBCS)

The Hill-Bone Compliance Scale (HBCS) is a brief, disease-specific self-report measure designed to assess medication and lifestyle adherence in hypertension management. Developed by Kim, Hill, Bone, and Levine at Johns Hopkins University in 1999, the HBCS measures three dimensions of hypertension adherence: medication-taking, dietary sodium restriction, and appointment keeping. Unlike generic adherence measures, the HBCS captures the multifaceted nature of hypertension self-management, recognizing that many hypertensive patients struggle equally with medication adherence and behavioral changes (diet, exercise, weight management, stress management). The scale has demonstrated strong reliability and validity in diverse hypertensive populations and remains widely used in hypertension research and clinical management.