title: The Polish language version of the Confusion Assessment Method - a questionnaire for the screening of consciousness disorders.
abstract: Confusion on a somatic basis is a dangerous problem mainly related with aging of the population. Data says that consciousness disorders concern 10-15% of patients in general wards, and up to 50% of patients admitted to geriatric wards. The persistence of the symptoms of confusion results in increase of agitation, disorganization, fear, which increases the risk of self-injuries of patients, it causes the need for parenteral feeding and hydratation, as well as maintaining water balance, and also disturbs cooperation, worsening the course and prognosis of the primary disease. It is believed that consciousness disorders are one of the most difficult diagnostic problems and the most difficult therapy problem among psychotic disorders. So far in Poland there have been no screening evaluation tools to assess the occurrence of confusion on the somatic basis. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Polish translation of the widely used scale to assess consciousness disorders, intended also for middle personnel of health care - Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Numerous studies over 16 years established the position of CAM as an exceptionally effective standardized diagnostic test, specifying the sensitivity of 94-100%, specificity from 90-95%, positive predictive value of 91-94%, negative predictive value of 90-100%. The questionnaire and instructions of its interpretation have been translated by doctors with active help from the original creators of CAM. Further studies are required in order to validate and determine the effectiveness of the newly formed diagnostic tool.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Multidisciplinary Hospital, Tarnowskie Gory, Poland.
authors: Krzysztof A
authors: KA
authors: Świerzy
authors: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Pudlo
authors: 3 Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Bartosz
authors: B
authors: Wesołowski
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Garbacz
authors: Department of Topographic Anatomy, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Morawski
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Izabela
authors: I
authors: Jaworska
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Multidisciplinary Hospital, Tarnowskie Gory, Poland.
authors: Mariusz
authors: M
authors: Sołtysik
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Marian
authors: M
authors: Zembala
keywords: consciousness disorders; screening tests; symptom questionnaire