2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive

Chapter 30: General Debility and Lack of StaminaBACKGROUND30.1 About general debility and lack of staminaGeneral debilityGeneral debility is a state of general weakness or feebleness that may be a result or an outcomeof one or more medical conditions that produce symptoms such as pain, fatigue, cachexia andphysical disability, or cognitive symptoms of attention, concentration, memory, developmentaland/or learning deficits.Some of the medical conditions included in this part of the Manual may be commonly associatedwith general debility, e.g. end stage renal disease, and in these cases this is noted in the medicalcondition chapter. However, general debility is more usually associated with multiple medicalconditions or extreme old age. Medications used to treat various medical conditions may alsoproduce effects that contribute to general debility.Common medical conditions not included in this Manual that may result in general debility are: anorexia nervosa or other related eating disorders chronic fatigue syndrome malabsorption syndromes (e.g. cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease) and malnutrition AIDS chronic infections, e.g. TB or HIV malignancies, and conditions resulting in chronic pain.Lack of staminaStamina is the physical or mental strength to resist fatigue and tiredness and maintain functionalability over time. Lack of stamina is not the same as general debility. While drivers withgeneral debility do not have sufficient stamina to drive, drivers suffering from a lack of staminamay not be suffering from general debility.Generally, concerns about stamina only arise in extreme old age or when a driver has a conditionthat results in a persistent impairment. For drivers with co-morbidities, stamina may be aparticular concern.Some of the medical conditions in this part of the Manual may be commonly associated with alack of stamina, e.g. congestive heart failure, and in these cases this is noted in the medicalcondition chapter.366