Measuring Disability in Patients With Cervical Dystonia According to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Cervical Dystonia (CD) is a rare movement disorder characterized by an abnormal head position. This cross-sectional study describes the health status and severity of disability using an internationally agreed language by applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Two disease-specific rating scales were administered to 30 patients with CD. By linking the individual answers to the ICF model, the frequency and severity of reported impairments and restrictions were estimated using a count-based method. Results showed that patients most frequently reported impairments linked to neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions and mental functions. Most restrictions in activities were related to interpersonal interactions and relations, major life areas, and community, social, and civic life. One third of the reported impairments can be labeled as severe disability. The findings show that CD causes disability in multiple levels of a patients' functioning in life, well beyond the cervical area.