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The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire: assessing cognitive ability in nursing home residents
Background:
The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) and other brief tests of cognitive functioning have been widely used to screen for cognitive dysfunction; however, they are rarely used to assess cognitive ability.
Objectives:
To discern whether the SPMSO might adequately substitute for longer assessments in the prediction of memory performance in older adults.
Method:
The SPMSQ and grocery list and prose recall tests were administered to 67 cognitively intact nursing home residents (mean age = 75 years). Demographic characteristics and self-rated health were recorded.
Results:
The number of items missed on the SPMSQ predicted up to 32% of the variance in more extensive list and prose recall measures, even with demented patients excluded. The SPMSQ retained a strong predictive relationship to memory after age variance was removed, accounting for 11-16% of the variance.
Conclusions:
The SPMSQ may be useful as a general measure of cognitive abilities in nursing home residents.