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Diagnosing dementia in the Arctic: translating tools and developing and validating an algorithm for assessment of impaired cognitive function in Greenland Inuit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

I. Kleist*
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital, Forensic Psychiatric, Aarhus N, Denmark
P. Noahsen
Affiliation:
eNational Board of Health in Greenland, Enational Board Of Health In Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
O. Gredal
Affiliation:
Queen Ingrid’s Hospital, Nuuk, Greenland, Department Of Internal Medicine, Nuuk, Greenland
J. Riis
Affiliation:
Aalborg University Hospital, Department Of Geriatric Medicine,, Aalborg, Denmark
S. Andersen
Affiliation:
Aalborg University Hospital, Department Of Geriatric Medicine,, Aalborg, Denmark
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

The ageing Arctic populations raise the need for work-up of cognitive function that reflects language and cultural understandings.

Objectives

To translate and evaluate tools for work-up of cognitive impairment in Greenland.

Methods

Step A: An expert panel was established to select tools suitable for the work-up of cognitive impairment at three different settings in Greenland. Step B: Tools were translated in a multiple-step process of independent translations with back-translation and adaptations by two independent translators and two Greenlandic physicians. Step C: a testing and validation process of the tools at three locations: the national hospital in the capital city; regional hospital in a town; health care centre in a small town.

Results

Tools selected were Mini-Cog and RUDAS. Participants for testing of tools were 43 of 61 invited, of which six had dementia. RUDAS and Mini-Cog scores were associated (p < 0.001). The smoothed AUC was 0.87 (95%-CI, 0.65–0.95) for Mini-Cog and 0.90 (95%-CI, 0.76–0.97) for RUDAS. The sensitivity of Mini-Cog with a cut-off at ≤3 was 83.3%, and specificity was 62.2%. For RUDAS with a cut-off at ≤23, these were 100% and 75.7%, respectively.

Conclusions

Requested tools have been translated for assessing cognitive function in the native Arctic setting. Small town residents with a Mini-Cog score of 3 or lower should be referred to a regional hospital for RUDAS, and a score of 23 or less should cause referral to the national hospital for a full work-up of cognitive function.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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