Cultural adequecy of the Care Dependency Scale for Older Persons in Egypt - a delphi study

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the cultural adequateness of the Arabic version of the Care Dependency Scale (CDS), an internationally used instrument to measure care needs by either self-reports or external assessment. Method: A Delphi study in two rounds about the Arabic version was performed with 37 panelists in Cairo. Acceptance of CDS items was rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale. Results: Agreement among panelists in the second round was found for 11 CDS items, but 2 items had decreased acceptance after rephrasing and 2 were rejected. Discussion: Rejected items seem to reflect a heterogeneous perception in the target population. Despite some limitations, the CDS is a promising instrument to detect care needs among older Egyptians

Psychometric properties of the extended Care Dependency Scale for older persons in Egypt

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the modified Arabic Care Dependency Scale for self-assessment of older persons in Egypt and to compare these self-assessments to proxy assessments by care givers and family members. BACKGROUND: The Care Dependency Scale is an internationally used instrument to measure care dependency. The Arabic version may improve data collection on this phenomenon in the Middle East where the population is ageing. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study with a sample of 611 older persons living in Greater Cairo. Participants belonged to three groups: nursing home residents, home care recipients and non-care recipients; 459 participants were also rated by proxies and 171 repeated their self-assessment after two weeks. METHODS: The correlation between sum scores of the Care Dependency Scale and the Activities of Daily Living scale was calculated to establish criterion validity. Construct validity was determined by comparing care recipients and non-care recipients with regard to their Care Dependency Scale sum scores and by exploratory factor analysis. Intraclass coefficients were used to assess test-retest reliability of self-ratings for each item. Mean differences between self and proxy assessment were calculated. RESULTS: The Care Dependency Scale had a strong correlation to the Activities of Daily Living scale and is able to distinguish between care recipients and non-care recipients. Factor analysis revealed one factor for basic needs and one factor for psychosocial needs. ICC values were >0.7 for most items related to the factor for basic needs among care recipients. Proxy assessment yielded higher care dependency than self assessment. CONCLUSION: Care Dependency Scale items for basic needs are suitable to assess care dependency among Egyptian care recipients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Assessment of care dependency is useful to obtain data for appropriate resource allocation among care recipients

Socio-demographic factors related to functional limitations and care dependency among older Egyptians

P>Title. Socio-demographic factors related to functional limitations and care dependency among older Egyptians. Aim. This paper is a report of a study determining the relationship of socio-demographic factors to functional limitations and care dependency among older care recipients and non-care recipients in Egypt. Background. The population is ageing in Egypt and age-related functional limitations are increasing. Age and gender influence this phenomenon, but its relationship to socio-economic status has not yet been demonstrated for Egypt. Functional limitations are an antecedent to care dependency, which also may be associated with these socio-demographic factors. Method. A cross-sectional study with a two-group comparative design was conducted in Greater Cairo. The sample was composed of 267 non-care recipients and 344 care recipients. Path analysis was used to determine the relationship between variables. Age, gender and acceptance of care were covariates in the multiple regressions. Analyses were conducted separately for care recipients and non-care recipients. Results. Among non-care recipients, lower socio-economic status was related to more functional limitations and higher care dependency. This relationship was not found among care recipients. Conclusion. Older persons from low income groups are more likely to become care dependent but are less able to pay for required care. Currently, untrained volunteer groups of religious organizations try to support these older people in the poorer strata of Egyptian society. Training in the basics of care might help to make their work more effective

Physicians’ attitudes and confidence toward dementia care: A cross-sectional study at primary healthcare facilities in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians play an essential role in the health of older adults as they are frequently the first point of contact. Their positive attitude and knowledge influence the quality of care provided to patients with dementia and their caregivers. This study examined the attitudes of primary care physicians towards dementia care and their confidence in their own dementia-care skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 316 primary care physicians working in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included questions related to demographic characteristics, Dementia Care Attitude Scale (DCAS) to assess attitudes towards dementia, and Confidence in Dementia Care Skills (CDCS) Scale to measure confidence. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29; mean and standard deviation (SD) were computed for continuous and categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages. Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test were used to compare attitude and confidence scores by categorical variables. RESULTS: The mean DCAS score was 36.4 ± 5.41 out of 50. On a scale ranging from 15 to 75, the mean CDCS was 51.89 ± 10.20. A statistically significant (P < 0.05) relation was found between confidence and professional rank, knowing close relatives with dementia, and number of dementia and elderly patients treated. Overall, 78.9% of physicians lacked confidence to prescribe memory medications; 32% felt that dementia management was generally more frustrating than rewarding. CONCLUSION: Primary care physicians had a positive attitude toward caring for patients with dementia. However, they lacked confidence in their dementia care skills in several areas. The confidence in their diagnostic skills was higher than their management skills. Most challenging skills were recognizing and managing behavioral symptoms of dementia. Need to develop educational and training interventions that target healthcare providers to help improving dementia care in primary care settings

Cultural Adequecy of the Care Dependency Scale for Older Persons in Egypt: A Delphi Study

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the cultural adequateness of the Arabic version of the Care Dependency Scale (CDS), an internationally used instrument to measure care needs by either self-reports or external assessment. Method: A Delphi study in two rounds about the Arabic version was performed with 37 panelists in Cairo. Acceptance of CDS items was rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale. Results: Agreement among panelists in the second round was found for 11 CDS items, but 2 items had decreased acceptance after rephrasing and 2 were rejected. Discussion: Rejected items seem to reflect a heterogeneous perception in the target population. Despite some limitations, the CDS is a promising instrument to detect care needs among older Egyptians