ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo analyze the feasibility， reliability and validity of the disability assessment for dementia scale for the elderly. MethodsA total of 290 dementia patients from 17 survey sites in 13 districts and counties of Chengdu were enrolled by convenient sampling method， and they were assessed using demographic data inventory， Mini-Mental State Examination （MMSE）， Neuropsychiatric Inventory （NPI）， Physical Self-Maintenance Scale （PSMS） and disability assessment for dementia scale for the elderly. Cronbach's α coefficient， Spearman-Brown coefficient， Guttman split-half coefficient and test-retest reliability were used to evaluate the internal consistency of above scales. Criterion-related validity of the scale was analyzed based on MMSE， NPI and PSMS. ResultsA total of 276 patients （95.17%） completed valid questionnaires. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the total score and each dimension were between 0.828~0.976， the Spearman-Brown coefficient were between 0.790~0.917， the Guttman split-half coefficient were between 0.812~0.857， and the Cronbach’s α coefficient were between 0.737~0.886. The cognitive function dimension score was positively correlated with the MMSE score （r=0.948， P<0.01）， the mental behavior symptom dimension score was positively correlated with the NPI score （r=0.893， P<0.01）， and the daily living ability dimension score was positively correlated with the PSMS score （r=0.997， P<0.01）. The dimensions scores were positively correlated with the total score of the scale （r=0.634~0.841， P<0.05）. ConclusionDisability of dementia assessment scale has good feasibility， reliability and validity， which is a reliable tool to assess senile dementia and disability.