title: Using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) among older adult inpatients with varying cognitive function.
abstract: 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.
authors: Health Services Research Unit, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, IMIM-IMAS, C/Doctor Aiguader, 80, Barcelona, 8003, Spain.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Baró
authors: Montse
authors: M
authors: Ferrer
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Vázquez
authors: Ramón
authors: R
authors: Miralles
authors: Angels
authors: A
authors: Pont
authors: Asunción
authors: A
authors: Esperanza
authors: Antoni Ma
authors: AM
authors: Cervera
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Alonso