Analysis of a digital instrument for multidimensional assessment of the older adults by undergraduate gerontology students

Introduction: A Multidimensional Assessment of the Elderly (AMI) examines different aspects of the functionality of elderly patients based on scales and quantitative tests. An AMI is performed by health professionals, in particular Gerontologists. The Gerontological Care Plan (PAGe) is an AMI instrument developed by Gerontology researchers at the University of São Paulo. Methods: In this study, under the supervision of a professor, pairs of students conducted the PAGe AMI of an older adult and registered the results in the paper-based instrument first and in the Web system next. The paper-based version demanded that the students calculate the results manually, while the Web system calculates the results automatically. We asked students to answer a questionnaire about their experience with PAGe online. Results: A total of 23 pairs of students conducted the AMI, of which 11 answered the questionnaire. The students considered that the system corresponds to a complete and correct implementation of the original PAGe AMI. Approximately 63% of the respondents agree that the PAGe online can be used as an alternative to the paper version. Conclusion: The online PAGE system corresponds to the original paper-based instrument, and most students feel confident using the digital system without the support of the physical instrument.