RESUMO
The authors assessed the validity of the nursing home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH), comparing the responses of certified nurses' aides (CNAs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) with research observations. Correlations were significant but moderate for all of the domains of the NPI-NH (delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, depression, apathy, disinhibition, euphoria, irritability/lability, and aberrant motor disturbances) except anxiety and appetite disturbance. The LVNs' ratings showed consistently higher correlations with the researchers' behavioral observations than did the CNAs', but were moderate and generally better for residents with high levels of neuropsychiatric symptoms, thus, caution should be used with any untrained rater in the nursing home setting. The NPI-NH used by non-research staff can be useful in identifying residents with significant neuropsychiatric disturbances, but may be limited as an instrument for tracking behavioral changes.
Assuntos
Casas de Saúde , Escalas de Graduação Psiquiátrica , Transtornos Psicomotores/diagnóstico , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Cuidadores , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Assistentes de Enfermagem , Enfermagem Prática , Competência Profissional/normas , Enfermagem Psiquiátrica , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Índice de Gravidade de DoençaRESUMO
The authors examined the relationship between apathy, depression, and cognitive performance in 48 HIV-1-seropositive and 21 seronegative (control) subjects, using reaction time (RT) and working memory tasks. Apathy, but not depression, was associated with working memory deficits among HIV-seropositive subjects. The cognitive-affective component of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), but not apathy, was associated with slowing and decreased accuracy on a choice RT task. The BDI cognitive-affective component was more closely associated than the BDI somatic component with both RT slowing and apathy. Results suggest that prominent symptoms of apathy, independent of depression, may be an important indicator of CNS involvement in HIV infection. Total BDI scores showed a less consistent relationship with neurocognitive performance, suggesting that somatic symptomatology is diagnostically ambiguous among HIV-infected subjects.
