Comparing tests of complex thinking skills v0.1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Improving diagnosis of cognitive problems in stroke survivors: psychometric validation and feasibility of the computer tablet Oxford Cognitive Screen - DiSTRO electronic OCS

• IRAS ID

  347730

• Contact name

  Helena Fordell

• Contact email

  helena.fordell@brainstimulation.se

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 5 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  National clinical guidelines emphasise the importance of cognitive impairment screening (attention, memory, spatial awareness, apraxia, perception) in the early stages post-stroke (NICE guideline 162, June 2013). Assessing cognition after stroke is essential due to its high prevalence (91%; Milosevich et al., 2023).
  Combined, cognitive impairment can increase risk for depression (Harman-Maeier et al., 2007) and reduced quality of life (Nys et al 2005).

  Currently all standard tests of thinking skills post-stroke are administered using paper and pen tasks. Computerised tasks are not generally used and those that exist tend to be research tools rather than clinical tools. By employing easy-to-use touch-screen tablet computers, we can automatically score the cognitive tasks and gain valuable extra information on the timing and sequencing of a patient’s response, saving significant time and resources for therapists. An exceptional test, the Oxford Cognitive Screen (OCS), is widely used in stroke internationally and recommended for UK first-line use by the Royal College of Physicians. A computer tablet of the OCS does exist but it has not been tested for use in clinical practice.

  We aim to validate the computerised OCS (electronic OCS) by comparing it to its pen-and-paper counter part in stroke survivors admitted to hospital. We further aim to evaluate feasibility, cost effectiveness, and safety of using the electronic OCS for stroke, to ensure its ease of use for stroke survivors and therapists.

  We will ask stroke survivors to complete paper and digital versions in counter-balanced order whilst they are admitted to hospital and gather quantitative information on administering the digital took for feasibility and cost effectiveness.

• REC name

  Social Care REC

• REC reference

  25/IEC08/0002

• Date of REC Opinion

  11 Mar 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion