Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Care Dependency Scale (CDS) in nursing homes.
Design: Instrument development.
Methods: The English version of the CDS was translated into Persian. A convenience sample of 140 (100 older people without dementia and 40 patients with dementia) Persian-speaking people were selected from the nursing homes in Ahvaz, Iran. Cronbach's alpha, discriminant validity, and construct validity (exploratory factor analysis) were examined.
Findings: Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the CDS has two factors, including psychosocial and somatic factors. Discriminant validity showed that the CDS can differentiate patients with dementia from the older adults without dementia.
Conclusions: The results of the study showed that the Persian CDS is a reliable and valid scale when used in nursing homes.
Clinical Relevance: The Persian version of the CDS can help clinicians and nurses to assess patients' need and the degree of care dependency among older adults in Persian-speaking areas.