INFORMANT QUESTIONNAIRES AS SCREENING MEASURES TO DETECT DEMENTIA - APILOT-STUDY IN THE SOUTH-AFRICAN CONTEXT

Objectives. Them is currently no appropriate cognitive screening test available to diagnose dementia cross-culturally in South Africa. The a im of this pilot study was to investigate the efficacy of an informant questionnaire in detecting cognitive decline in the elderly. Design. The Deterioration Cognitive Observee (DECO), an informant questionnair e previously used abroad, was administered to relatives of elderly pat ients, Relatives were also asked a series of open-ended questions abou t the patient's cognitive abilities and behaviour. The DECO results we re compared with patients' scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the cognitive measure currently used to assess a patient's le vel of cognitive decline, as well as with the clinicians' diagnosis. S etting. The interviews were completed at the Groote Schuur Hospital Ge riatric Clinic during the months of May and June 1994. Subjects. The s ubjects were patients (N = 20) and their relatives (N = 20) attending the Geriatric Clinic. Results. DECO scores correctly predicted normal functioning in 7 patients and dementia in 8, The DECO scores correlate d with the MMSE scores (r = 0.625; P < 0.01) and MMSE scores correlate d with the clinicians' diagnosis (chi(2) = 0.114; df = 1; P = 0.73). O pen-ended questions confirmed the clinicians' diagnosis, Conclusion. T he DECO was found to predict dementia correctly in all but the severel y demented patients, As the DECO appears to be a suitable alternative to cognitive testing, it should be considered as a possible screening measure for dementia in elderly people in South Africa.