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Applicability of a cognitive questionnaire in the elderly and proxy

Aplicabilidade de questionário cognitivo a idosos e informantes

Abstract

The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly with the Proxy (IQCODE) was developed as a screening tool for cognition alterations.

Objectives:

1) To verify the applicability of IQCODE in the elderly with limited schooling, 2) To verify the reliability of the responses supplied by the aged and their proxies.

Methods:

Individuals of a Community Group were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), IQCODE and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The IQCODE was applied to informants and proxies.

Results:

We analyzed 44 individuals, aged between 58-82 years (M=66.8, SD=5.97) with mean elderly-schooling level of 3.75, SD=2.82 and 44 proxies aged 44.5 (SD=13.3), with mean schooling level of 8.25 (SD=4.3). The mean GDS was 8.22, SD=4.90 and 13 participants presented a score suggestive of depressive symptoms. The mean elderly IQCODE score was 3.26, SD=0.69 and 3.21, SD=0.65, for proxy responses. There was no statistical difference between these means. On the MMSE, the mean score was 24.20, SD=4.14 and 18 participants presented scores below the cut-off. The IQCODE answers by the elderly in this latter group were more congruent with MMSE than the answers of proxies.

Conclusions:

The applicability of the IQCODE in a population with little schooling was verified in that the proxy-report was similar to the elderly report. We can affirm that the elderly answers were more accurate than the proxies, as they were closer to MMSE score. The inclusion of a greater number of participants from community-dwelling settings is necessary to confirm the results obtained in this study.

Key words:
evaluation; cognition; aged; cognitive tests; screenings.

Resumo

O questionário ao informante sobre declínio cognitivo do idoso (IQCODE) foi desenvolvido como instrumento de detecção de alterações cognitivas.

Objetivos:

1) Verificar a aplicabilidade do questionário IQCODE a idosos com escolaridade restrita e 2) verificar a concordância de respostas entre eles e seus representantes.

Métodos:

Foram examinados indivíduos de um grupo comunitário com o Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), IQCODE e Escala de Depressão Geriátrica (GDS). O IQCODE foi aplicado aos idosos e seus representantes.

Resultados:

Foram avaliados 44 indivíduos, com idade entre 58 a 82 anos (M=66,8, DP=5,97) escolaridade média de 3,75 (DP=2,82) e 44 representantes cuja média de idade foi de 44.5 (DP=13.3) e média de escolaridade de 8.25 (DP=4.3). A média do GDS aplicado aos idosos foi de 8,22, DP=4,90 e 13 indivíduos apresentaram escore sugestivo de sintomas depressivos. A média do IQCODE dos idosos foi de 3,26 (DP=0,69) e dos representantes 3,21 (DP=0,65). Não houve diferença estatística entre essas médias. O escore médio do MEEM foi de 24,20 (DP=4,14) e 18 participantes apresentaram pontuação abaixo da nota de corte para escolaridade. As respostas dos idosos ao IQCODE nesse último grupo foram mais congruentes com os escores do Mini-exame do estado mental do que as dos representantes.

Conclusões:

A aplicabilidade do IQCODE diretamente ao idoso com restrita escolaridade foi possível. As respostas dos representantes foram similares a dos idosos. Podemos admitir que as respostas dos idosos foram mais acuradas, uma vez que estavam mais próximas das notas do MEEM. A ampliação da amostra e incluindo participantes de outras comunidades é necessária para comprovação dos resultados obtidos.

Palavras-chave:
avaliação; cognição; idosos; testes cognitivos; rastreio.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Jul-Sep 2008

History

  • Received
    12 May 2008
  • Accepted
    20 July 2008
Academia Brasileira de Neurologia, Departamento de Neurologia Cognitiva e Envelhecimento R. Vergueiro, 1353 sl.1404 - Ed. Top Towers Offices, Torre Norte, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, CEP 04101-000, Tel.: +55 11 5084-9463 | +55 11 5083-3876 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revistadementia@abneuro.org.br | demneuropsy@uol.com.br