Descriptive studies of a psychiatric hospital population

Clinical check list for diagnosis of dementia

A clinical check list for testing speech and parietal function as well as memory was used on 200 people admitted to a psychogeriatric assessment unit and repeated four to six weeks later, to see whether those with true dementias could be identified. The finding of errors in all three areas, particularly at the second test, accurately predicted cases with a poor outcome at six months follow-up. Amnesia alone was an unreliable indicator of dementia.

The assessment and progress of long-stay and elderly psychiatric patients: the predictive validity of a ward behaviour questionnaire

This paper describes an attempt to validate a behaviour rating scale used to predict the likelihood of discharge among elderly and long-stay patients in a psychiatric hospital. The scale measured behaviour on the ward as rated by nursing staff. The scale was a sensitive predictor of discharge among those with a low score (indicating least disability), except for patients with organic psychoses. However, many patients with low scores were not discharged. In order to improve the scale's use as a screening technique additional information was considered. The significance of the findings is discussed.