title: Description and validation of a geriatric multidimensional graphical instrument for promoting longitudinal evaluation.
abstract: The debate about the adoption of standard multidimensional geriatric assessment instruments is mainly due to the lack of consensus on the feasibility and requirements for such instruments by both the health and the social care professions. A tool called ValGraf was developed in the attempt to give an original answer to these and other controversial issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ValGraf for acceptability, concurrent validity and factorial structure. The functional and cognitive impairments as ascertained by the ValGraf were compared with Katz index and Folstein's Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Subjects (N=210) of four nursing homes were assessed by two independent teams of nurses. The factorial validity study involved 8280 subjects living in nursing homes. Assessments were conducted throughout the 2001 by 20 geriatricians. The agreement between the ValGraf sections concerning independence in daily living and Katz's index was almost total (r=0.96) and that between ValGraf items on cognition and MMSE was very good (0.73). Factor analysis revealed that 13 coherent factors explained 53% of total variance. ValGraf was proved to be acceptable and comprehensive, criterion valid, at least as daily activities and cognitive status are concerned, and to have a coherent factorial structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, Trieste University, Piazza Ospedale 1, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pascazio
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morosini
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bembich
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nardone
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clarici
authors.forename: Lionello
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbina
authors.forename: Ranieri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zuttion
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gigantesco
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes