The abbreviated comprehensive geriatric assessment (aCGA): a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional assessment that is designed to detect health problems. A barrier to conducting the CGA is the length of time required to complete the entire assessment. OBJECTIVE: To understand what items contained in the instruments that make up the CGA could be compiled to construct an abbreviated CGA (aCGA). DESIGN/SETTING: A retrospective chart review of patients at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. PARTICIPANTS: Over 500 charts between 1995 and 2001 were reviewed on patients 70 and over. MEASUREMENTS: Item-to-total correlations and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were calculated. Construct validity was assessed using a Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Fifteen items were compiled to form the aCGA. Cronbach's alpha was 0.65-0.92 on each instrument of the entire CGA compared to 0.70-0.94 on the aCGA. Correlations ranged from 0.84 to 0.96 for the entire CGA and the aCGA. CONCLUSION: An aCGA can be helpful in screening for those seniors who would benefit from the entire CGA.