A narrative review of the development and performance characteristics of electronic delirium-screening tools

Eamonn Eeles; David Duc Tran; Jemima Boyd; Oystein Tronstad; Andrew Teodorczuk; Dylan Flaws; John F Fraser; Nadeeka Dissanayaka

doi:10.1016/j.aucc.2023.11.006

A narrative review of the development and performance characteristics of electronic delirium-screening tools

Aust Crit Care. 2024 Jul;37(4):651-658. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2023.11.006. Epub 2023 Dec 14.

Authors

Eamonn Eeles¹, David Duc Tran², Jemima Boyd³, Oystein Tronstad⁴, Andrew Teodorczuk², Dylan Flaws², John F Fraser⁴, Nadeeka Dissanayaka⁵

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine Services, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Northside Clinical School, School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Australia; Critical Care Research Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Department of Mental Health, Caboolture Hospital, University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: eamonn.eeles@health.qld.gov.au.
² Critical Care Research Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Department of Mental Health, Caboolture Hospital, University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
³ Allied Health Department, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ Critical Care Research Group Level 3, Clinical Sciences, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 38102026
DOI: 10.1016/j.aucc.2023.11.006

Abstract

Background: Electronic delirium-screening tools are an emergent area of research.

Objective: The objective of this study was to summarise the development and performance characteristics of electronic screening tools in delirium.

Methods: Searches were conducted in Pubmed, Embase, and CINAHL Complete databases to identify electronic delirium-screening tools.

Results: Five electronic delirium-screening tools were identified and reviewed. Two were designed for and tested within a medical setting, and three were applied to intensive care. Adaptive design features, such as skip function to reduce test burden, were variably integrated into instrument design. All tools were shown to have acceptable psychometric properties, but validation studies were largely incomplete.

Conclusions: Electronic delirium-screening tools are an exciting area of development and may offer hope for improved uptake of delirium screening.

Keywords: Computers; Delirium; Diagnosis; Handheld; Mobile applications; Smartphone.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Delirium* / diagnosis
Humans
Mass Screening* / methods
Psychometrics*