OBJECTIVE: To validate the Leganés cognitive test (LCT) for cognitive screening in low educated elderly Brazilians. METHODS: The study sample was composed of 59 elderly residents from the city of Santa Cruz, in Brazil, with low schooling levels. Reliability was analyzed with a two-day interval between assessments, and concurrent validity was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS: According to the LCT, the prevalence of dementia was 11.8%. The scale items showed a moderate to strong correlation between domains (p<0.01), and inter-rater reliability exhibited ICC=0.81, 95%CI=0.72-0.88. The factor analysis resulted in two factors: memory and orientation. Interscale agreement was considered poor (k=-0.02), supporting the hypothesis of an educational impact on final MMSE scores. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that LCT has acceptable levels of reliability for use in low-educated Brazilian elderly.
cognition; dementia; elderly; education
