Care dependency, measured in european perspective

In an international, study psychometric properties of the Care Dependency Scale (in Dutch shortened as: ZAS) were examined by analysing data gathered in nursing homes in Germany, Finland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway and Wales (UK). For that purpose, from these countries a convenience sample was developed consisting of 832 patients with dementia. The English, Finnish, German, Italian and Norwegian research instruments were translations of the original Dutch ZAS. Psychometric evaluations of the ZAS were carried out for each country separately as well as for the countries combined. High alpha coefficients between 0.93 and 0.97 were calculated. Subsequent interrater and test-retest reliability revealed moderate to substantial kappa values. Factor analysis resulted in a one-factor solution. One of the main outcomes of the cross-cultural comparison was that the findings in the six countries show more similarities than differences, so that the scale can be used appropriately in nursing home practice and for international comparison of care dependency.