Table 2.
All items in the English IPOS-Dem, the interview person’s comprehension of the item and whether the item was changed based on the interviews
| Item in the English IPOS-Dem | Interview persons’ comprehension | Changes made to the Swedish translation based on the interviews |
|---|---|---|
| Q1. What have been the person’s main problems over the past week? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q2. Please select one box that best describes how the person has been affected by each of the following symptoms over the past week | Good comprehension | No |
| Pain | Good comprehension, but concerns raised about how to assess pain | No |
| Shortness of breath | Good comprehension | No |
| Weakness or lack of energy | Good comprehension | No |
| Nausea (feeling like being sick/vomiting) | Good comprehension without the explanation in parentheses | Yes |
| Vomiting (being sick) | Good comprehension without the explanation in parentheses | Yes |
| Poor appetite | Good comprehension | No |
| Constipation | Good comprehension | No |
| Dental problems or problems with dentures | Good comprehension | No |
| Sore or dry mouth | Good comprehension | No |
| Drowsiness (sleepiness) | The word in the parenthesis was better understood and more commonly used compared to the first word | Yes |
| Poor mobility (trouble walking, cannot leave bed, falling) | Good comprehension | No |
| Swallowing problems (e.g. chokes, inhales food or drink, holds food in mouth) | Good comprehension | No |
| Skin breakdown (redness, skin tearing, pressure damage) | Several interviewees mostly associated the item with pressure ulcers and did not understand the initial translation for skin tearing | Yes |
| Difficulty communicating | Good comprehension | No |
| Sleeping problems | Good comprehension | No |
| Diarrhoea | Good comprehension | No |
| Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things not present) and/or delusions (fixed false beliefs) | Good comprehension, but the initial translation for “false” had a negative connotation | Yes |
| Agitation (restless, irritable, aggressive) | Good comprehension | No |
| Wandering (as a result of distress or putting person at risk) | Good comprehension without the explanation in parentheses | Yes |
| Has the person had any other symptoms? Please select one box to show how you feel each of these symptoms have affected the person over the past week (optional) | Good comprehension | No |
| Q3. Has s/he been feeling anxious or worried? | Some informants raised concerns about the first Swedish translation as referring only to everyday worrying and not to anxiety disorders | Yes |
| Q4. Have any of his/her family been anxious or worried about the person? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q5. Do you think s/he felt depressed? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q5b. Lost interest in things s/he would normally enjoy? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q6. Do you think s/he felt at peace? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q7. Has s/he been able to interact positively with others (e.g. staff, family, residents)? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q7b. Can s/he enjoy activities appropriate for his/her level of interests and abilities? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q8. Has his/her family had as much information as wanted? | Good comprehension | No |
| Q9. Have all practical problems been addressed? [e.g. hearing aids, foot care, glasses, diet] | The item was perceived as confusing regarding what problems to bring up there | Yes |