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The MDS Cognition Scale: a valid instrument for identifying and staging nursing home residents with dementia using the minimum data set
Hartmaier SL, Sloane PD, Guess HA, Koch GG.. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 1994-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective We report the development and validation of an MDS-based cognitive index, the MDS Cognition Scale (MDS-COGS), by evaluating it against two popular dementia rating scales, the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Participants Two hundred nursing home residents. Measurements Each study participant was assessed on the GDS and the MMSE by trained medical students.
Key findings
- Participants Two hundred nursing home residents.
- Measurements Each study participant was assessed on the GDS and the MMSE by trained medical students.
- At the same time, but independent of the medical students, a geriatric nurse completed the Minimum Data Set (MDS) instrument on each participant.
- Main results The Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS), a categorical measure of cognition that uses MDS items, was compared with the GDS in 133 subjects, using a split-sample technique.
Why it matters
This study developed and validated the MDS Cognition Scale for identifying and staging nursing home residents with dementia, assessing 200 residents against the Global Deterioration Scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination. It is a cognitive assessment instrument and does not treat, cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants133
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: journal h-index 344 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1994 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 133 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 280 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.2 citations a year over 34 year(s) since 1994 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Gary G. Koch: h-index 87 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: institution h-index 1,674 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 7963204) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hartmaier, S. L., Sloane, P. D., Guess, H. A., & Koch, G. G. (1994). The MDS Cognition Scale: a valid instrument for identifying and staging nursing home residents with dementia using the minimum data set. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1994.tb06984.x
Vancouver
Hartmaier SL, Sloane PD, Guess HA, Koch GG. The MDS Cognition Scale: a valid instrument for identifying and staging nursing home residents with dementia using the minimum data set. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1994. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1994.tb06984.x. PMID: 7963204.
BibTeX
@article{hartmaier1994-7963204,
author = {Hartmaier, S. L. and Sloane, P. D. and Guess, H. A. and Koch, G. G.},
title = {{The MDS Cognition Scale: a valid instrument for identifying and staging nursing home residents with dementia using the minimum data set}},
journal = {Journal of the American Geriatrics Society},
year = {1994},
doi = {10.1111/j.1532-5415.1994.tb06984.x},
pmid = {7963204},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1994.tb06984.x}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
6 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.