Mobile application for monitoring behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in patients with moderate to severe dementia

Aim Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in patients with moderate-severe dementia and have negative impacts on both patients and caregivers. There is a lack of a tool for caregivers to monitor patients' BPSD by themselves. This study aimed to develop and validate a mobile application for caregivers to use in monitoring BPSD. Methods A total of 104 pairs of patients with moderate-severe dementia and their caregivers completed the study. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) was modified and digitally transformed to a caregiver-rating mobile application to quantify nine domains of BPSD for their frequency and impact on the emotion of the caregivers. Data collected from the application were compared with the paper-and-pencil NPI for prevalence, concurrent validity (Spearman's rho) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha). Results The application was able to detect 93% of BPSD compared with the NPI. Concurrent validity was good-very good when compared with the Frequency x Severity score (rho = 0.77, P < 0.001) and the burden score (rho = 0.85, P < 0.001) from the NPI. Levels of internal consistency were acceptable for both frequency (alpha = 0.73) and impact (alpha = 0.79) scores. 80% of the caregivers reported that the application was "very likely to be helpful in caregiving". Conclusions The mobile application for monitoring BPSD in patients with moderate-severe dementia had an excellent sensitivity, and good-very good validity and consistency. The caregivers had a positive perception of the application as an aid in caregiving. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; center dot center dot: center dot center dot-center dot center dot.