title: Using the Barnes Language Assessment with older ethnic minority groups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are many issues concerning the assessment of older people from ethnic minority groups, the most significant being the language barrier experienced by those whose English is an additional language (EAL). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that EAL participants would score less well than those with English as a first language (EFL) on the sub-tests of the Barnes Language Assessment (BLA), elucidate the reasons for any such differences and discuss the implications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Barnes Language Assessment (BLA) is an accurate tool providing information about expected patterns of language in different dementia syndromes. This study compares the performance of EAL participants with EFL participants. The BLA was administered to 144 participants, divided into sub-groups with respect to age, gender and educational background, none of whom had a working diagnosis of dementia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results suggest that EAL speakers performed less well compared to EFL speakers when other variables were matched. Significantly better BLA scores, at the one percent level, were found in both EAL and EFL groups with higher educational achievement for eight of the 15 sub-tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences were found in performance on the BLA between EAL and EFL participants. The degree of difference between EAL and EFL speakers decreased as educational achievement rose. The consequences of these findings for service delivery and the problems of recruitment of older EAL participants are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Kingston Primary Care Trust, Barnes Hospital, London, UK. toriaramsay@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cockle-Hearne
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*