The distribution of Mini-Mental State Examination scores in an older UK African–Caribbean population compared to MRC CFA study norms

✍ Scribed by Robert Stewart; Jo Johnson; Marcus Richards; Carol Brayne; Anthony Mann

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 64 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6230
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.698

✦ Synopsis

Objective:

To describe normative data for the mini-mental state examination (mmse) in a uk african-caribbean population and compare these with norms for white uk-born elders.

Design:

A comparison of mmse data from two cross-sectional surveys.

Method:

The mmse had been administered to a community uk african-caribbean population and scores were compared to norms from the medical research council cognitive function and ageing study (cfas). mmse data were analysed for 248 african-caribbean participants aged 55-75 and 5379 cfas participants aged 65-74, without visual or auditory problems. distributions of scores were tabulated and error rates for individual items compared.

Results:

Median mmse scores were 25 (interquartile range 22-27) for the whole african-caribbean sample, 24 (22-27) for those aged 65-75 in the african-caribbean sample, and 27 (25-29) for cfas. differences in error rates were specific to particular items: naming the season, serial seven subtraction, phrase repetition, three-stage command, and copying intersecting pentagons. these differences persisted when both samples were restricted to those with statutory duration of education, who were literate and who had worked in non-manual occupations. normative data are displayed for mmse scores in both groups.

Conclusion:

Different distributions of mmse scores between uk african-caribbean and caucasian groups can be principally explained by cultural bias in certain items. if the mmse is to be administered to older african-caribbean people, specific normative data should be referred to or else a culturally modified version of the instrument should be used.