title: Functioning and disability in persons with epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) to describe the functioning of people with epilepsy. The main questions we asked were as follows: what are the difficulties that people with epilepsy face on the body level and in daily activities? What are the most relevant environmental factors needed to describe disability in patients with epilepsy?
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collected using the ICF checklist are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine patients were interviewed. In total, 63 categories, of which 30 were from the component of activities and participation, 18 were from body functions and body structures, and 14 were from environmental factors, were identified. Among body functions, sensation of pain, seeing, and emotional functions were reported most frequently. Among activities and participation, several difficulties were reported, particularly when capacity qualifiers and broad differences between capacity and performance were taken into account. Finally, environmental factor categories were mostly reported as facilitators, particularly those connected with health care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The description of a profile of functioning and disability can be more comprehensive with the use of the framework of the ICF, which provides a broad picture of functioning. A deeper understanding of functioning can be gained using the ICF conceptualization of disability because it incorporates all relevant aspects of functioning at the levels of the body and the person, as well as the impact of the environment.
authors.affiliation: Public Health and Disability Unit, Scientific Directorate, Division of Clinical Neurophysiology, Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, IRCCS Foundation, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Milda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerniauskaite
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ajovalasit
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quintas
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceschetti
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casazza
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raggi
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D057189:Checklist; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000145:classification* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult