A Cognitive Screening Test for detecting Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia in the Deaf older adults in Austria, and Greece: the De‐Sign Erasmus+ project
Marianna Tsatali, Sabrina Cernek, Athanasia‐Lida Dimou, Enrico Dolza, Doris Hoffmann‐Lamplmair, Nicola Della Maggiora, Patrick Martinetz, Tarsitsa Ntova, Evanthia Plachoura, Romeo Seifert, Thomas Ströbele, Magdalini Tsolaki, Birgit Teichmann- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Neurology (clinical)
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Health Policy
- Epidemiology
Abstract
Background
Until now there is a lack of cognitive screening tests for Deaf older adults to detect Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia (ADD) across Europe, as well as limited access to the therapeutic methods imposed. Therefore, the Deaf population has little access to dementia services.
Method
To fill this gap, the current Erasmus+ project aims to adapt the first dementia screening test for Deaf people in Austria and Greece being initially available for the British Deaf older adults and therefore, provide a valid and reliable tool to detect cognitive deficits by means of ADD in this population.
Result
For the project’s purposes, a group of experts will translate and adapt the CST in Austrian (ÖGS) and Greek sign languages (GSL), and after piloting the new CST versions, they will be administered in approximately 100 Deaf older adults in each country. Additionally, the following tests will be also administered: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Verbal Learning and Memory Test, and the Digit Span (forwards and backwards). To assess the psychometric properties of the new versions of CST, internal reliability, test retest reliability, as well as concurrent validity will be calculated. Finally, a digital web‐based platform including tests’ administration guidelines along with the test per se will be developed. To disseminate the project’s results, detailed seminars on the test administration as well as the use of the platform will be implemented to experts from the fields of dementia and sign languages.
Conclusion
To introduce dementia screening as well as ADD detection in the Deaf in Austria and Greece.