BRIEF COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT TOOL (BCAT): A NEW DEVELOPED INSTRUMENT FOR SCREENING OF THE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION IN OLDER ADULTS

Although several tools for evaluating and screening of cognitive status have been introduced, most of them are not applicable in Iranian elderly population because of cultural differences and high illiteracy rate. This study is report of "Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool"(BCAT) was developed as a cognitive status-evaluating test and reported psychometric characteristics.
the BCAT tool includes memory assessment using three words recall test with a rating similar to Mini-Cog and the functional status including "ability to dress", "ability to use the phone," " ability to manage own medications", among both two sexes and financial management capabilities in men and ability to prepare food in women. Functional rating is different in educated and non-educated people. Diagnosis of dementia is considered, when memory impairment is accompanied by the dysfunction. Eighty-six residents of a nursing home (41 men and 45 women) among who had inclusion and no had exclusion criteria also consent to participate were randomly enrolled. Concurrent validity was shown as correlation coefficient between the BCAT categorization and score of mini meAntal state examination (MMSE). Criterion validity, sensitivity and specificity of BCAT were evaluated based on global deterioration scale (GDS). Reliability of two raters results within two weeks was indicated by Kappa coefficient.
The sensitivity and specificity and accuracy rate of the BCAT based the GDS was 88.6%, 82.6%, and 84.9%, respectively. The correlation between the MMSE score and results of the BCAT classifying was significant. The Kappa coefficient between the results of two raters was 81.1%.
It seems that the BCAT has good psychometric properties to recognize cognitive impairment among Iranian older adults.