Collecting subjective assessments of patents’ feelings at nursing homes by face-to-face reviewing with use of the standard psychometric scales

Introduction. The care routines at nursing home include three basic components: helping with activities of a daily living, helping with observing the therapeutic recommendations, helping with overcoming depressive moods. In this study focus was put on measuring intensity of depressive moods. It was postulated that besides the care-providers’ opinions, the self-assessments should be obtained from patients in the face-to-face mode.

Objective. The study was aimed to confirm the supposition that self-scores obtained at the long-term care patients included some additional information, supplementary to care-provides’ assessments.

Material and methods. The questionnaire survey was made at 207 residents (135 females and 72 males) in nursing home in Krakow (Poland) in 2014. Data were obtained using three standard questionnaires: Barthel scale capacity for activities of daily living, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Statistical analyses included confirmation of the data reliability and validity, and the correlation analyses.

Results and conclusions. The reliability of the CES-D scale was supported with the value of alpha Cronbach’a: alpha = 0.82 and alpha = 0.85 (for men and women, respectively), and concurrent validity was supported with significant correlation CES-D scale and HADS-Depression scale, R = 0.50; p <0.001. The difference between the CES-D scales and HADS -Depression scales was supported with the fact that Barthel scale is significantly correlated with SOPL-Depression scale, R = –0.18 (P = 0.01); but it is not correlated significantly with the CES-D, R = –0.08 (p = 0.24). The results of the study supported the postulated recommendation, that not only the care-providers but also the patients should be engaged for filling out questionnaires.

Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (4): 439–445