Original Investigation

Evaluation of Neurological Disabilities by the Disability Scale Published on 16.12.2010

10.5152/imj.2014.24993

  • Vildan Güzel
  • Murat Çabalar
  • Özlem Selçuk
  • Nejla Sözer Topçular
  • Dilek Bozkurt
  • Betül Güveli
  • Vildan Yayla

İstanbul Med J 2014;15(3):178-182

Objective:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between disability rate and the neurological diagnosis of patients with neurological disabilities who applied to the Medical Commission.

Methods:

A total of 2752 cases with neurological disorder, who applied to Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital Medical Commission in order to obtain a disability report between December 17, 2010 and August 3, 2012, were evaluated. Disability rates were determined using Council of Ministers’ “Regulation on disability criteria, classification and medical commission reports given to disabled people,” which was published on 16.10.2010 in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey, issue no 27,787.

Results:

Of the 20,126 cases who applied to the Medical Commission, 2752 (13.6%) had neurological dysfunction; 1481 (53.8%) were male and 1271 (46.2%) were female. The mean age was 55.4±24.72 years. Cerebrovascular disease sequelae (n=606; 22%), dementia (n=564; 20.5%), hemiparesis/ hemiplegia (n=554; 20.1%), cerebral palsy sequelae (n=259; 9.4%), epilepsy (n=192; 7%), polio sequelae (n=140; 5.1%), Parkinson (n=97; 3.5%), myopathy (n=85; 3.1%), multiple sclerosis (n=49; 1.8%), motor neuron diseases (n=19; 0.7%); and other diseases ranked among the most frequent pathologies. Despite high rates of neurological disabilities of patients with motor neuron disease (80.47±19.33%), dementia (69.92±20.4%), and cerebrovascular disease sequelae (61.76±23.98%), patients with epilepsy (40.64±19.33%) and polio sequelae (28.11±18.19%) had lower neurological disability rates. Nervous system disability rates were significantly lower than the general disability rates (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

In this study, the applications to the Medical Commission to get the disability rate were evaluated, and it was observed that the number of applications was increased, and the disability rates were calculated to be higher with the regulation on disability criteria published on 16.10.2010, according to the old criteria. It is expected that these studies will attract attention to the subject and contribute to adjustments.

Keywords: Official Gazette of Republic of Turkey, neurological disease, disability rates