BACKGROUND: The Geriatric Mental State (GMS) is the most widely used psychiatric research assessment for older persons. Evidence for validity comes from the developed world. AIMS: To assess the validity of GMS/AGECAT organicity and depression diagnoses in 26 centres in India, China, Latin America and Africa. METHOD: We studied 2941 persons aged 60 years and over: 742 people with dementia and three groups free of dementia (697 with depression, 719 with high and 783 with low levels of education). Local clinicians diagnosed dementia (DSM-IV) and depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score >/=18). RESULTS: For dementia diagnosis GMS/AGECAT performed well in many centres but educational bias was evident. Specificity was poor in India and sensitivity sub-optimal in Latin America. A predictive algorithm excluding certain orientation items but including interviewer judgements improved upon the AGECAT algorithm. For depression, sensitivity was high. The EURO-D depression scale, derived from GMS items using European data, has a similar factor structure in Latin America, India and, to a lesser extent, China. CONCLUSIONS: Valid, comprehensive mental status assessment across cultures seems achievable in principle.
BACKGROUND: The Geriatric Mental State (GMS) is the most widely used psychiatric research assessment for older persons. Evidence for validity comes from the developed world. AIMS: To assess the validity of GMS/AGECAT organicity and depression diagnoses in 26 centres in India, China, Latin America and Africa. METHOD: We studied 2941 persons aged 60 years and over: 742 people with dementia and three groups free of dementia (697 with depression, 719 with high and 783 with low levels of education). Local clinicians diagnosed dementia (DSM-IV) and depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score >/=18). RESULTS: For dementia diagnosis GMS/AGECAT performed well in many centres but educational bias was evident. Specificity was poor in India and sensitivity sub-optimal in Latin America. A predictive algorithm excluding certain orientation items but including interviewer judgements improved upon the AGECAT algorithm. For depression, sensitivity was high. The EURO-D depression scale, derived from GMS items using European data, has a similar factor structure in Latin America, India and, to a lesser extent, China. CONCLUSIONS: Valid, comprehensive mental status assessment across cultures seems achievable in principle.
Authors: Erico Castro-Costa; Michael Dewey; Robert Stewart; Sube Banerjee; Felicia Huppert; Carlos Mendonca-Lima; Christophe Bula; Friedel Reisches; Johannes Wancata; Karen Ritchie; Magda Tsolaki; Raimundo Mateos; Martin Prince Journal: Int J Methods Psychiatr Res Date: 2008 Impact factor: 4.035
Authors: Kieu T T Phung; Monique Chaaya; Gunhild Waldemar; Samir Atweh; Khalil Asmar; Husam Ghusn; Georges Karam; Raja Sawaya; Rose Mary Khoury; Ibrahim Zeinaty; Sandrine Salman; Salem Hammoud; Wael Radwan; Nazem Bassil; Martin Prince Journal: J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol Date: 2014-04-25 Impact factor: 2.680
Authors: Mariella Guerra; Cleusa P Ferri; Ana Luisa Sosa; Aquiles Salas; Ciro Gaona; Victor Gonzales; Gabriela Rojas de la Torre; Martin Prince Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2009-12 Impact factor: 9.319
Authors: S Suttajit; S Punpuing; T Jirapramukpitak; K Tangchonlatip; N Darawuttimaprakorn; R Stewart; M E Dewey; M Prince; M A Abas Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2010-01-08 Impact factor: 7.723