Cognitive Capacity Assessment: The Fundamental Element of Neurological Disability Guidelines in India

• Published in: Neurology India Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 703 - 706
• Main Authors: Bajpai, Swati, Nehra, Ashima, Pandey, R, Sati, Hemchand, Singh, Rajesh, Vishnu, Venugopalan, Rajan, Roopa, Singh, Manmohan, Srivastava, Achal, Srivastava, Padma, Tripathi, Manjari
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.05.2021; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Cognition; Cognition disorders; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis; Disability; Disability Evaluation; Humans; India; Methods; Nervous system diseases; Pilot Projects; Practice guidelines (Medicine); Quality of Life; India; as they suffer more from quality of life impairment than just mere mental disability; disabilityKey Message: Cognitive capacity assessment is a comprehensive disability assessment that do justice to the participants with neurological conditions; Chronic neurological disorders; cognitive capacity assessment; disability
• ISSN: 0028-3886; 1998-4022
• DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.319214

Background: Disability evaluation as per World Health Organization includes assessment of impairments, activity limitations, and participation restriction, which unfortunately is not assessed by the existing guidelines of disability in India. Aim: The aim of this study wasto comparea new study criterion with the existing guidelines for assessing cognitive disability for chronic neurological conditions. Methodology: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on 41 participants. They were assessed on an existing guideline (Gazette India 200,1 assessing physical domain and Intelligence Quotient[IQ]) and study criterion assessing three aspects of cognitive capacity: IQ, neurocognitive functioning, and QOL. Results: The existing guideline underestimated 84% of cases for disability. The average percentage of disability measured by the study criterion was 33.2% more as compared to existing guidelines with S.D of 26.6. Conclusion: Cognitive capacity assessment is an important element to be measured in chronic neurological disability certification. However, a large sample is required to make an affirmative claim for the same.