The IQCODE : An Alternative Screening Test for Dementia for Low Educated Thai Elderlyt
VORAPUN SENANARONG, M.D., M.R.C.P. (UK)*, SIRICHAI ASSA VISARAPORN, M.D.*, NOPWAN SIVASIRIYANONDS,B.Sc.*, THIPAWAN PRINTARAKUL,B.Sc.*, PIYANUJ JAMJUMRUS, B.Sc.*, SUTHIPOL UDOMPUNTHURUK,M.Sc.*, NIPHON POUNGVA RIN, M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.P. (E)*
Affiliation : • Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. t This study was supported by grants from the National Research Council of Thailand in the fiscal year 1998.
Objective : To explore an alternative method of screening for dementia in Thai elderly people who have a low educational level. The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the elderly (IQCODE) is used as the screening test.
Materials and Methods : A community based population of elderly subjects in Bangkok including 87 normal subjects and 73 demented elderly people were studied. Their ages ranged from 52 to 85 years old. The majority of the elderly people had had four years or less of primary education. Dementia was diagnosed independently by DSM IV criteria. A short form of the Infor mant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), a short form, was administered to informants of the elderly by trained medical personnel. The Thai Mini Mental State Examina tion (TMSE) was also administered to these subjects and compared with the IQCODE. SPSS 9.0 was used for statistical analysis.
Results : The IQCODE showed a negative correlation with the TMSE (n=160, r=-0.679, p
Keywords : IQCODE, Screening Test for Dementia, Low Educated Thai Elderly
