Abstract
BackgroundDepression is common among residents in long term-care facilities. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of depressive symptoms among nursing home (NH) residents is highly warranted. AimThe aim of this study was to test the psychometrical properties of the Norwegian version of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). MethodsA sample of 309 NH residents were assessed for depressive symptoms using the CSDD in 2015-2016. Data on CSDD were missing for 64 residents, giving an effective sample of 245 (79.3%). Principal component and confirmatory factor analysis were used. ResultsA five-dimensional solution yielded the best fit with the data (χ2=174.927, df=94, χ2/df=1.86, p=0.0001, RMSEA=0.058, p-value for test of close fit=0.152, CFI=0.94, TLI=0.92 and SRMR=0.056). As expected, higher depressive symptoms correlated positively with higher scores on the Minimum Data Set Depression Rating Scale (MDSDRS) and correlated negatively with Quality of life assessed with the Quality of Life in Late Stage-Dementia Scale. LimitationsThe excluded residents (n=64, 20.7%) had lower cognitive function, which may limit the generalizability of the study results. ConclusionThis study suggests a five-dimensional solution of the CSDD scale. Sixteen of the 19 original items showed highly significant loadings, explaining a notable amount of the variation in the CSDD-construct. Further development and testing of a well-adapted scale assessing depression in the nursing home population with and without dementia is required.
Highlights
Depression in old age is common and affects quality of life nega tively
The diagnostic pooled prevalence of depression in communityliving older adults is estimated to 7% (Luppa et al, 2012) and a higher prevalence has been reported in community-living older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (Panza et al, 2010)
European studies of older adults with dementia receiving home care have found the screened prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms to range between 11% to 60% when using score ≥ 10 on the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) (Giebel et al, 2016; Nikmat, Hawthorne, & Al-Mashoor, 2015)
Summary
Depression in old age is common and affects quality of life nega tively. The diagnostic pooled prevalence of depression in communityliving older adults is estimated to 7% (Luppa et al, 2012) and a higher prevalence (ranging between 11%-40%) has been reported in community-living older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (Panza et al, 2010). European studies of older adults with dementia receiving home care have found the screened prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms to range between 11% to 60% when using score ≥ 10 on the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) (Giebel et al, 2016; Nikmat, Hawthorne, & Al-Mashoor, 2015). Euro pean studies of older nursing home (NH) residents with dementia have shown the prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDD ≥ 10) to range from 10% to 52% (Giebel et al, 2016). Further development and testing of a well-adapted scale assessing depression in the nursing home population with and without dementia is required
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