DEL-S — Delirium Severity Score

2022

A modern delirium-severity score (6-item short and 17-item long forms) developed with advanced psychometric methods; higher scores track longer stay, higher cost and greater mortality.

Severity measurementSingle validation study

Severity score; exposure–response with length of stay, cost and 1-year mortality (n=352).

Full nameDelirium Severity Score

Also known asDEL-S

PurposeSeverity measurement

PopulationAdult

SettingGeneral / acute hospital

Items—

Administrationvariable

EvidenceSingle validation study

Reference typeOriginal validation study

Reference standardResearch delirium assessment

Validation samplen = 352

Cut-off / scoringShort 0–13; long 0–21

ReliabilityAdvanced psychometric (item-response) development

Strengths＋ Fine-grained, outcome-linked severity

Limitations− Newer; less external replication

ReferenceVasunilashorn SM, Fong TG, Helfand BKI, et al. Psychometric properties of a delirium severity score for older adults and association with hospital and posthospital outcomes. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e226129. PMID 35357447

Download RIS Download BibTeX DOI ↗ Original validation study ↗Official source ↗

* Where shown, sensitivity/specificity are from the cited validation cohort and are not pooled estimates. Citation metadata was checked against PubMed or the publisher DOI record; a checked reference does not imply validation, study quality or endorsement. See the Methodology.