Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India
The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a popular screening instrument for dementia. Drawing on ethnographic data from India, three vignettes are presented to examine how the MMSE is operationalised by interviewers and respondents. Using the concept of 'fluidity' from Science and Techn...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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2011
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28967 |
| _version_ | 1848752677669830656 |
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| author | Brijnath, Bianca |
| author_facet | Brijnath, Bianca |
| author_sort | Brijnath, Bianca |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a popular screening instrument for dementia. Drawing on ethnographic data from India, three vignettes are presented to examine how the MMSE is operationalised by interviewers and respondents. Using the concept of 'fluidity' from Science and Technology Studies, it will be demonstrated that the MMSE is fluid and changes according to individual norms, institutional resources, and cultural settings. In some environments, the scores are discounted in order to count; in others, the scale is perceived as an invitation to talk; and finally, the MMSE can also operate as an entry-point to seek treatment for other psychological concerns. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:12:26Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-28967 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:12:26Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-289672017-09-13T15:16:05Z Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India Brijnath, Bianca The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a popular screening instrument for dementia. Drawing on ethnographic data from India, three vignettes are presented to examine how the MMSE is operationalised by interviewers and respondents. Using the concept of 'fluidity' from Science and Technology Studies, it will be demonstrated that the MMSE is fluid and changes according to individual norms, institutional resources, and cultural settings. In some environments, the scores are discounted in order to count; in others, the scale is perceived as an invitation to talk; and finally, the MMSE can also operate as an entry-point to seek treatment for other psychological concerns. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28967 10.1177/1363461511413005 restricted |
| spellingShingle | Brijnath, Bianca Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India |
| title | Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India |
| title_full | Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India |
| title_fullStr | Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India |
| title_short | Screening for dementia: Fluidity and the Mini Mental State Examination in India |
| title_sort | screening for dementia: fluidity and the mini mental state examination in india |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28967 |