Assessing cognitive decline in Vietnamese older adults using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) and Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) during the COVID-19 pandemic: A feasibility study

Abstract

Objectives: The lack of cognitive assessment tools suitable for people with minimal formal education is a barrier to identify cognitive impairment in Vietnam. Our aims were to (i) evaluate the feasibility of conducting the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) and Informant Questionnaire On Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) remotely on the Vietnamese older adults, (ii) examine the association between the two tests, (iii) identify demographic factors correlated with these tools. Methods: The MoCA-B was adapted from the original English version, and a remote testing procedure was conducted. One hundred seventy-three participants aged 60 and above living in the Vietnamese southern provinces were recruited via an online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: IQCODE results showed that the proportions of rural participants classified as having mild cognitive impairment and dementia were substantially higher than those in urban areas. Levels of education and living areas were associated with IQCODE scores. Education attainment was also the main predictor of MoCA-B scores (30% of variance explained), with an average of 10.5 points difference between those with no formal education and those who attended university. Conclusions: It is feasible to administer the IQCODE and MoCA-B remotely in the Vietnamese older population. Education attainment played a stronger role in predicting MoCA-B scores than IQCODE, suggesting the influence of this factor on MoCA-B scores. Further study is needed to develop socio-culturally appropriate cognitive screening tests for the Vietnamese population.

Keywords:

• Vietnamese older adults
• cognitive screening
• dementia
• MoCA-B
• IQCODE

Acknowledgment

We would like to express our gratitude to all local volunteers, participants, and family members of this study; Dr. Diep Tran and Mr. Minh Nguyen at the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CITT, International University, Vietnam National University), Ms. Tinh Trinh, Dr. Thanh Thai, Ms. Xuyen Phan, Ms. Thu Thuy, Ms. Hong Nhung Mr. H. V. Son, Mr. Tan Phan and Mr. Duy Bao for connecting us with different provinces during the data collection process; Ms. Nga Tu and Ms. Lindsey Parker for coordinating the project grants and meetings; and Dr. Nigel Culkin, Dr. Tran Nguyen, Prof. The Ha for their insightful comments and discussions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund Networking Grant (GCRF) project number GCRFNGR6\1403. Claire Goodman is part-funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations for East of England (ARC-EoE) and is an NIHR Senior Investigator. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR. Huong Ha, Toi Vo, and Quynh Nguyen are funded by Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) under grant number NCM2020-28-01.