Relationship between cognitive impairments and rated activity restrictionsin stroke patients

Objective: To investigate the relationship between cognitive impairments an d rated activity restrictions. Design: Comparison of neuropsychological tes ts and activity questionnaires. Activity ratings were made by staff and str oke patients. Setting: Two neurological rehabilitation hospitals. Participa nts: Eighty-seven stroke patients. Results: Moderately high correlations we re found between cognitive test scores and activity ratings made by staff m embers. In contrast, correlations between ratings made by patients and cogn itive rests were much lower. There was also little agreement between the st affs' ratings and the patients' own ratings. Multiple regression analyses i ndicate that cognitive impairments account for 28.9% of the variance in the activin rating made by the staff members. The coefficient of determination was slightly higher when age, time since onset of illness, and depression scores were included as predictors. Conclusions: These findings provide par tial support fur a hierarchical structure of the "International Classificat ion of Impairment, Activities and Participation" model of the World Health Organization.