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.


OBJECTIVE
To discern whether the SPMSO might adequately substitute for longer assessments in the prediction of memory performance in older adults.


METHODS
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.
Welch
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California State University, Fullerton, USA.
West
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D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires