Evaluation of a Mental Test Score for Assessment of Mental Impairment in the Elderly

A mental test score consisting of 26 questions testing memory and orientation was used in a large inpatient study of mental impairment of the elderly. Analysis shows that the questions varied considerably in their discriminatory value. Deletion of the less effective questions results in an abbreviated test of ten questions with similar discriminatory powers to the full test. Shorter tests of this kind are recommended for further practical evaluation in geriatric departments.