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A Clinical Study of Competency to Consent to Hospitalization and Treatment in Geriatric Inpatients *
Author(s) -
Billick Stephen B.,
Perez Dolores R.,
Garakani Amir
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01047.x
Subject(s) - medicine , geriatric psychiatry , informed consent , competence (human resources) , raw score , geriatrics , dementia , forensic psychiatry , physical therapy , family medicine , psychiatry , psychology , alternative medicine , disease , raw data , social psychology , statistics , mathematics , pathology
This study used a Competency Questionnaire modified for medical surgical patients (CQ‐Med). Twenty‐nine patients (ages 65–94 years) admitted to a geriatric medicine unit were studied. Along with the CQ‐Med, patients were administered several WAIS‐R subtests, the Blessed Dementia Scale (BDS), and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE). Additionally, a blind forensic evaluation for competency to consent to hospitalization and treatment was performed for the purpose of validation of the CQ‐Med. Results of the study found that, as expected, increased age was correlated with decreasing performance on the CQ‐Med and decreased findings of competence by clinical exam. However, there was great variability within each age group, demonstrating individual differences in the progress of declining competency. CQ‐Med scores also correlated well with the WAIS‐R subtest raw and scaled scores. Scores on the MMSE and BDS were less well correlated. The CQ‐Med may be a useful adjunct in assessing declining competency in geriatric patients.