A new screening tool for self-neglect in community-dwelling older adults: IMSelf-neglect questionnaire

We aimed to develop a new screening tool for self-neglect in community-dwelling self-sufficient older adults.

Istanbul Medical School Elder Self-Neglect questionnaire (IMSelf-neglect) was developed as a screening tool. Community-dwelling, self-sufficient older adults were recruited in a geriatric outpatient clinic (n = 226, 142 female, 84 male). Construct validity was based on social-worker's interview as a gold-standard method. The cut-off threshold for IMSelf-neglect questionnaire was calculated from ROC-analysis using cut-off values that predicted social-worker's opinion whether the older adult has self-neglect.

Mean age was 74 ± 6.5 years. The inter-rater and test-retest reliability were excellent (r = 0.887, p < .05; r = 0.942, p < .05, respectively). The internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha: 0.708). Cut-off threshold for IM Self-neglect questionnaire was calculated as 7 with 92.1% sensitivity and 70.7% specificity. Positive predictive value and negative predictive value of IMSelf-neglect questionnaire were 38.9% and 97.8%, respectively. There was significant moderate agreement between social worker's assessment and results of IMSelf-neglect questionnaire (κ = 0.407, p < .001). The social worker confirmed 16.8% of the participants have self-neglect by the gold-standard clinical interview. Participants with self-neglect had decreased functionality, worse quality of life and tended to have more depression compared with participants without self-neglect.

We developed the IMSelf-neglect questionnaire as a valid and reliable tool to screen self-neglect in outpatient clinics complementary to comprehensive geriatric assessment.