QoL in a German nursing home: Validation of ICECAP-O

Summary Purpose: To validate the German ICECAP-O version in a dementia-specific nursing home as well as to assess if the capability measurement instrument ICECAP-O is a useful QoL measurement instrument for people with dementia. Method: For 80 residents, nursing proxy respondents completed proxy questionnaires. These questionnaires included demographic questions, the QoL-measurement instruments ICECAP-O, EQ-5D+C and ADRQL as well as the Barthel-Index for ADL. Convergent and discriminant validity was investigated by correlating the tariffs and dimensions of the QoL measurement instruments and the Barthel-Index with the ICECAP-O as well as through regressions on the ICECAP-tariff with demographic and non-health related variables from patients and proxy respondents. Results: Our findings provide construct validity because of reasonable convergent and dis-criminant validity of the ICECAP-O. Convergent validity could be established by correla-tions between the ICECAP-O, the EQ-5D+C and the ADRQL dimensions as well as be-tween the functional status score ADL. Discriminant validity was confirmed by differences in the outcome of two groups of severity and functional status. The influence of the charac-teristics of the proxy respondents on the QoL measures was detected for single dimensions. Discussion: In this pilot study in Germany, the ICECAP-O appears to be a reliable generic QoL measurement instrument since results for validity are both convergent and discrimi-nant. The results suggest that the ICECAP-O is a promising QoL measurement instrument for dementia patients by assessing the capabilities of elderly people. The study is of im-portance for the economic evaluation of interventions for diseases, even though in Germany only comparisons within one therapeutic area are practice. Further validation research is needed to confirm the results of the study.