Affiliations: [a] Department of BioMedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| [b] Department of Psychiatry, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan City, Taiwan
| [c] Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan City, Taiwan
| [d] Biostatistics Department, FHI 360, USA
| [e] Department of Neurology, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan City, Taiwan
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Kuo-Sheng Cheng, PhD, Department of BioMedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan (R.O.C.). Tel.: 886 6 2757575 63424 or 886 9 88661616; Fax: 886 6 2343270; E-mails: kscheng@mail.ncku.edu.twsheeicarol@gmail.com.
Abstract: Background:The earlier detection of dementia is needed as cases increase yearly in the aging populations of Taiwan and the world. In recent years, the global internet usage rate has gradually increased among older people. To expand dementia screening and provide timely medical intervention, a simple self-administrated assessment tool to assist in easily screening for dementia is needed. Objective:The two-part goal of this pilot study was, first, to develop a Game-Based Cognitive Assessment (GBCA) tool, and then, to evaluate its validity at early screening for patients with cognitive impairment. Method:The researchers recruited 67 patients with neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) and 57 healthy controls (HCs). Each participant underwent the GBCA and other clinical cognitive assessments (CDR, CASI, and MMSE), and filled out a questionnaire evaluating their experience of using the GBCA. Statistical analyses were used to measure the validity of the GBCA at screening for degenerative dementia. Results:The average GBCA scores of the HC and NCD groups were 87 (SD = 7.9) and 52 (SD = 21.7), respectively. The GBCA correlated well with the CASI (r2 = 0.90, p < 0.001) and with the MMSE (r2 = 0.92, p < 0.001), indicating concurrent validity. The GBCA cut-off of 75/76 corresponded to measurements of sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve of 85.1%, 91.5%, and 0.978, respectively. The positive predictive value was 91.9%, and the negative predictive value was 84.4%. The results of the user-experience questionnaire for the HC and NCD groups were good and acceptable, respectively. Conclusion:The GBCA is an effective and acceptable tool for screening for degenerative dementia.
