EXAMPLES OF SELECTED WHO-NCTB TESTS:       Test and test setting

Simple Reaction Time measures attention and response speed and  is easily administered
via computer as part of the Swedish Performance Evaluation System (SPES).  A red rectangle
appears on the screen and the subject taps the space bar as rapidly as possible.  There are
5 protracted trials resulting in mean values for each set which are then averaged.

Digit-Symbol substitution tests cognitive/perceptual skills and motor speed and is
administered in the “pencil and paper” format and the number of correct and half correct
substitutions are added to obtain a maximum number in the test period.

The Digit-Span test measures recent memory and involves the subject repeating a sequence
of numbers read out both in the forwards and backwards directions.  Correct sequence lengths
are computed in each direction.

Typical test scores for both developed and less developed country settings provide some
point and interval estimates for both epidemiologic comparison and for clinical evaluation
purposes for the tests selected above.

Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health (DOH) - Modules 3: Occupational Medicine & Toxicology (Basic) by Profs Mohamed Jeebhay and Rodney Ehrlich, Health Sciences UCT is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa License. Major contributors: Mohamed Jeebhay, Rodney Ehrlich, Jonny Myers, Leslie London, Sophie Kisting, Rajen Naidoo, Saloshni Naidoo. Source available from here. For any updates to the material, or more permissions beyond the scope of this license, please email healthoer@uct.ac.za or visit www.healthedu.uct.ac.za. Last updated Jan 2007.
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