Two mental status assessment methods: an evaluation

Impairments in mental status following cataract extraction surgery appear to be a significant clinical problem in the elderly. Despite the prevalence and potential mortality and morbidity, these impairments are frequently undetected. The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Mental Status Questionnaire were evaluated in a population of elderly cataract surgery patients. Although either test can be used to evaluate mental status, the sensitivity and specificity of each must be validated with a larger, controlled sample. The Mental Status Questionnaire was easier to administer, did not appear to induce additional fatigue in patients, and the scores were unaffected by patients' motor and sensory deficits.