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This application is a digital implementation of the St. Louis University Mental State (SLUMS) examination.

5 versions

1. Simple version with questions presented in text format.
2. Simple version with questions presented in both text and audio format.
3. Video version which handles both written and spoken inputs.
4. Tester version that instructs how questions should be asked and records the scores depending on the answers input by the tester.
5. Tester version which instructs how questions should be asked but does not require answers to be input by the tester.

Basic Application structure

The application code is contained in two files:

• slums.js: The javascript backend which serves the HTML user interface and handles the input; and
• index.html: The HTML file containing the user interface where the patient/test administrator can enter data.

Things to install for application to run locally

Node.js

This provides the server. Follow the installation instructions at: http://nodejs.org/

Javascript libraries

Once Node.js is installed, you can easily install the javascript libraries we need by using the npm install command, e.g. to install the http library, you simply go to the command prompt or terminal and type: npm install http The libraries we will be using are:

• http (server functions)
• util (misc. utilities)
• fs (file writing and reading functions)
• url (server functions)
• querystring (for easily accessing the data from the HTML form input)
• geolocation (may be needed for checking location for county question)

To run locally

1. Use the command line/terminal to navigate to the directory where the slums.js file is, e.g. cd Dropbox/SLUMSApp.
2. In the command line/terminal, type node slums.js.
3. In your browser, enter the address: localhost:8080

Questions relating to equivalence with in-person administration:

1. Should all responses (apart from the ones that have a visual/spatial component) be free text since selection already narrows the space of possible errors?
2. If the responses are given in free text, how much slack do we allow for misspelling? Similarly with the clock question, what margin of error do we allow?
3. Should questions be read out as well as presented in written format, or should only one format (either written or audio) be used (this is perhaps most relevant for the object memory and final story question)?
4. Should we allow spoken input?