Normative studies research project test battery: Detection of dementia in African American and European American urban elderly patients

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Normative Studies Research Project test battery (NSRP) for use with urban medical patients. A greater proportion of African American patients and persons with fewer years of education were represented in the present sample as compared to previous investigations of similar screening batteries (e.g., Iowa Battery; Eslinger et al., 1985). Seventy-four of the subjects were designated as cognitively intact and 89 were cognitively impaired. Principal components analyses revealed a two-factor solution for the intact persons, whereas a one-factor solution was obtained for the impaired patient group. Logistic regression analysis resulted in 76% correct classification of cases; sensitivity was 77% and specificity was 74%. The NSRP battery is a clinically useful tool for patients in urban medical settings.