[Development of the Dementia Quality of Life Instrument-Japanese version].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to develop the Dementia Quality of Life Instrument-Japanese version (DQoL-Japanese Version).


METHODS
The subjects were 72 elderly patients, 19 men and 53 women (Vascular Dementia: 66, Senile dementia Alzheimer type 6) using day care and day services who had obtained approval for participation in the investigation. The interview survey was conducted from October 2002 to January 2003.


RESULTS
In the subscales of the DQoL-Japanese Version, "negative feelings" scored the highest and "affirmative feelings" the lowest. There was a significant correlation coefficient between the test and those of a conducted 2 weeks later, ranging from 0.730 to 0.857 (p<0.05). The internal consistency reliability for the five scales ranges from alpha=0.66 to 0.864. There was a significant correlation coefficient between the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and DQOL sub-scales such as "self esteem," "positive affect", "negative feelings" and "feeling of belonging". On the other hand, there was no significant relationship between the GDS and "aesthetics" of the DQoL-Japanese Version.


CONCLUSIONS
It was suggested that the DQoL-Japanese Version DQoL is useful to measure subjective QOL of elderly patients with dementia. The subjects who understood the questions of the DQoL-Japanese Version and were able to be interviewed, had a Mini-Mental State score of 13 points or more. It was clarified that DQoL-Japanese Version was reliable and showed evidence of validity as well as the original DQOL.
Suzuki
Mizue
M
Mie Prefectural College of Nursing.
Uchida
Atsuko
A
Kanamori
Masao
M
Ooshiro
Hajime
H
D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*