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Abstract
Cognitive impairment is prevalent among cancer patients receiving palliative care. It affects both clinical management and research with these patients. Cognitive impairments can often be reversed by appropriate therapeutic intervention, but many cases of cognitive impairment among palliative care patients will remain undetected by clinical staff unless formal assessment is conducted. Selection of an appropriate method of assessment should be guided by the goal for which assessment is undertaken, the ways in which the special characteristics of palliative care patients constrain the gathering of information, the type of information and the scale of measurement required, the validity, reliability and standardisation of the tests available, and the significance attached to test outcomes.
A wide variety of methods for assessing cognitive competence is available. They differ in the type of information provided, the scale of measurement, and the breadth of the skills assessed. Each is most suitable for particular purposes. The variety ensures that cognitive performance can be assessed in palliative care patients despite constraints imposed by budgets, limited relevant staff expertise, and patient characteristics.