Using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) among older adult inpatients with varying cognitive function.
BACKGROUND
High rates of missing, non-applicable items and insufficient reliability have been frequently reported as limitations of the generic Quality of Life questionnaires for older patients. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) might be more suitable as it contains easy to respond (yes/no) items covering moderate-to-severe health deterioration.


OBJECTIVE
To assess feasibility, reliability and validity of the NHP in disabled, older patients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Acute care hospital.


METHODS
134 inpatients aged >or=65 with severe disability, abnormal cognitive function, or other persistent health problems precluding their discharge.


METHODS
The (interviewer-administered) NHP, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Index, and diagnostic information were recorded.


RESULTS
Completion rates varied from 98% of the 49 patients with normal cognition (MMSE >or=21) and 86.3% of the 51 with moderate cognitive impairment (MMSE 10-20), to 5.9% of the 34 with severe cognitive impairment (MMSE<10). Cronbach's alpha of the total NHP score was near 0.9 (0.82 and 0.87 for patients with MMSE >or= 21 and 10-20, respectively; p = 0.291). The correlation between 'Physical Mobility' of the NHP and Barthel Index was also similar in both cognitive groups (0.39 and 0.40).


CONCLUSIONS
Interviewer-administered NHP is suitable, reliable and valid, even in patients with moderate cognitive function.
Baró
Eva
E
Health Services Research Unit, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, IMIM-IMAS, C/Doctor Aiguader, 80, Barcelona, 8003, Spain.
Ferrer
Montse
M
Vázquez
Olga
O
Miralles
Ramón
R
Pont
Angels
A
Esperanza
Asunción
A
Cervera
Antoni Ma
AM
Alonso
Jordi
J