Abstract
The diagnostic Scheme for People with Epileptic Seizures and with Epilepsy 2001 is divided into five axes. Axis 5 is recommended for use as a parameter for evaluating the impairment in patients with epilepsy on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The impairment in 132 patients with epilepsy over 18 years old was checked according to the criteria of ICF. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the necessity of help in daily life; group I: 84 cases with full help, group II: 17 cases with some help, and group III: 31 cases with no help. The impairment in groups I and II depended on mental retardation and physical disability, and the impairment could be easily checked using the components of Body Functions (b) and Activities and Participation (d). The impairment in group III could not be easily checked, but was shown in self-care (d5), major life areas (d8), and so on. There are many patients with epilepsy who seem to exhibit no impairment in their daily lives, although they have some problems. Axis 5 is worth using for objective evaluation of such patients.
