for Health Care Providers
Karnofsky Performance Scale
The Karnofsky Performance Scale is an assessment tool intended to assist clinicians and caretakers in gauging a patient's functional status and ability to carry out activities of daily living.
It is important to assess a patient's performance on a regular basis, especially as the effects of HIV progress. Documentation of Karnofsky scores over time may be very useful in following a patient's course of illness, and can help a disabled patient in his/her application for disability benefits. It also is used for some research applications.
| Normal; no complaints; no evidence of disease | 100 |
| Able to carry on normal activity; minor signs or symptoms of disease | 90 |
| Normal activity with effort; some signs or symptoms of disease | 80 |
| Cares for self; unable to carry on normal activity or do work | 70 |
| Requires occasional assistance, but is able to care for most personal needs | 60 |
| Requires considerable assistance and frequent medical care | 50 |
| Disabled; requires special care and assistance | 40 |
| Severely disabled; hospitalization indicated although death not imminent | 30 |
| Very sick; hospitalization necessary; requires active support treatment | 20 |
| Moribund; fatal processes progressing rapidly | 10 |
| Dead | 0 |