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The Informant Questionnaire on cognitive decline in the elderly (IQCODE): a review
1Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Anthony.Jorm@anu.edu.au
International Psychogeriatrics
|November 24, 2004
Summary
The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) reliably screens for cognitive decline and predicts dementia. Combining it with other tests enhances screening accuracy, especially in diverse populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Psychometrics
Background:
- The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) is a crucial screening tool for dementia.
- It is particularly valuable for individuals unable to undergo direct cognitive testing or for populations with limited education and literacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the psychometric properties and validity of the IQCODE.
- To synthesize existing research on the IQCODE's performance as a dementia screening tool.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across three major databases.
- The review synthesized findings on the IQCODE's reliability, validity, and predictive capabilities.
Main Results:
- The IQCODE demonstrates high reliability and measures a singular factor of cognitive decline.
- It accurately reflects past cognitive decline, predicts incident dementia, and correlates with various cognitive tests.
- The IQCODE is notably robust against variations in education, pre-morbid ability, and language proficiency, though informant characteristics can influence results.
Conclusions:
- The IQCODE is a valid and reliable screening instrument for cognitive decline and dementia.
- Its strengths include its applicability across diverse educational and linguistic backgrounds.
- Integrating the IQCODE with brief cognitive tests can significantly improve dementia screening accuracy.