Myers Candice A, Keller Jeffrey N, Allen H Raymond, Brouillette Robert M, Foil Heather, Davis Allison B, Greenway Frank L, Johnson William D, Martin Corby K
J Alzheimers Dis. 2016 Oct 18;54(4):1359-1364. doi: 10.3233/JAD-160441.
Dementia is a chronic condition in the elderly and depression is often a concurrent symptom. As populations continue to age, accessible and useful tools to screen for cognitive function and its associated symptoms in elderly populations are needed. The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of a new internet-based assessment battery for screening mood and cognitive function in an elderly population. Specifically, the Helping Hand Technology (HHT) assessments for depression (HHT-D) and global cognitive function (HHT-G) were evaluated in a sample of 57 elderly participants (22 male, 35 female) aged 59-85 years. The study sample was categorized into three groups: 1) dementia (n = 8; Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score 10-24), 2) mild cognitive impairment (n = 24; MMSE score 25-28), and 3) control (n = 25; MMSE score 29-30). Test-retest reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient, r) and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha, α) of the HHT-D and HHT-G were assessed. Validity of the HHT-D and HHT-G was tested via comparison (Pearson r) to commonly used pencil-and-paper based assessments: HHT-D versus the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and HHT-G versus the MMSE. Good test-retest (r = 0.80; p < 0.0001) and acceptable internal consistency reliability (α= 0.73) of the HHT-D were established. Moderate support for the validity of the HHT-D was obtained (r = 0.60 between the HHT-D and GDS; p < 0.0001). Results indicated good test-retest (r = 0.87; p < 0.0001) and acceptable internal consistency reliability (α= 0.70) of the HHT-G. Validity of the HHT-G was supported (r = 0.71 between the HHT-G and MMSE; p < 0.0001). In summary, the HHT-D and HHT-G were found to be reliable and valid computerized assessments to screen for depression and cognitive status, respectively, in an elderly sample.
痴呆是老年人的一种慢性疾病，抑郁常常是其并发症状。随着人口持续老龄化，需要有可获取且实用的工具来筛查老年人群的认知功能及其相关症状。本研究的目的是测试一种新的基于互联网的评估组合在老年人群中筛查情绪和认知功能的可靠性和有效性。具体而言，在57名年龄在59 - 85岁的老年参与者（22名男性，35名女性）样本中，对用于评估抑郁的“援手技术”（HHT）评估（HHT - D）和用于评估整体认知功能的HHT评估（HHT - G）进行了评估。研究样本被分为三组：1）痴呆组（n = 8；简易精神状态检查表（MMSE）评分10 - 24），2）轻度认知障碍组（n = 24；MMSE评分25 - 28），3）对照组（n = 25；MMSE评分29 - 30）。评估了HHT - D和HHT - G的重测信度（皮尔逊相关系数，r）和内部一致性信度（克朗巴哈系数，α）。通过与常用的纸笔评估进行比较（皮尔逊r）来测试HHT - D和HHT - G的效度：HHT - D与老年抑郁量表（GDS）比较，HHT - G与MMSE比较。HHT - D建立了良好的重测信度（r = 0.80；p < 0.0001）和可接受的内部一致性信度（α = 0.73）。获得了对HHT - D效度的中度支持（HHT - D与GDS之间r = 0.60；p < 0.0001）。结果表明HHT - G有良好的重测信度（r = 0.87；p < 0.0001）和可接受的内部一致性信度（α = 0.70）。HHT - G的效度得到了支持（HHT - G与MMSE之间r = 0.71；p < 0.0001）。总之，发现HHT - D和HHT - G分别是在老年样本中筛查抑郁和认知状态的可靠且有效的计算机化评估工具。
