ASCERTAINING DEMENTIA BY EXPERT PANEL IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES OF NURSING-HOME RESIDENTS

A new method for ascertaining dementia in epidemiologic research and t he results of a study to evaluate it are described. The method relies on an expert panel of clinicians reviewing clinically relevant informa tion collected by lay evaluators to arrive at a diagnosis based on DSM -III-R criteria. The approach was developed to study dementia in a sta tewide sample of over 2400 new admissions to 59 nursing homes in Maryl and. Expert panel ascertainment of dementia was compared to that obtai ned by direct clinical evaluation for 100 nursing home residents. Agre ement between the panel and direct assessment was 76% (kappa = 0.59) u sing a three-category classification of dementia, no dementia, and ind eterminate. This ascertainment strategy provides an alternative to met hods currently in we and is particularly well-suited for populations w ith a high prevalence, in those dispersed over large geographic areas, and when timely, cost-effective evaluations are required. (C) 1996 by Elsevier Science Inc.