Validation of the epidemiological dementia index in geriatric outpatients.
The aim of the current study was to test the properties of a scale especially developed for use in epidemiological surveys in low sociocultural populations, and to determine whether this scale can be used in a clinical population.


METHODS
Two hundred fifty subjects took part; 150 were controls and 100 had dementia of various types according to DSM-IV and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria.


RESULTS
Cronbach's alpha was equal to .78. In the group of people under 75 years old, sensitivity did not exceed 90%. Specificity was over 90% at the level 4/5. The respective scores for the group of people over 74 were 6/7 and 3/4.


CONCLUSIONS
The Epidemiological Dementia Index seems to be less powerful when used in a clinical population. This provides further evidence that it is not suitable to use the same instruments in both epidemiological studies and clinical practice.
3rd Department of Psychiatry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. kfount@med.auth.gr
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Fountoulakis
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Tsolaki
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H
Paulopoulos
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Kazis
D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index