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Background: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is the international standard for describing and monitoring functioning. While the categories, the units of the classification, were not designed with measurement in mind, the hierarchical structure of the classification lends itself to the possibility of summating categories into some higher order domain. Focusing on the chapters of d4 Mobility, d5 Self-Care and d6 Domestic Life, this study seeks to ascertain if qualifiers rating of categories (0-No problem to 4-Complete problem) within those chapters can be summated, and whether such derived measurement is consistent with estimates obtained from well-known instruments which purport to measure the same constructs.
Methods: The current study applies secondary analysis to data previously collected in the context of validating Core Sets for stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. Data included qualifier-based ratings of the categories in the Core Sets, and the physical functioning sub-scale of the Short-Form 36, and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. To examine qualifier-comparator scale item agreement Kappa statistics were used. To identify whether appropriate gradients of the comparator scales were observed across qualifier levels, an Independent Sample Median Test of the ordinal scores was deployed. To investigate the internal validity of the summated ICF categories, the Rasch model was applied.
Results: Data from 2,927 subjects from Europe, Australasia, Middle East and South America were available for analysis; 36.3% had experienced a stroke, 35.8% osteoarthritis, and 27.9% had rheumatoid arthritis. The items from the Short-Form 36 could not match directly the qualifier categories as the former had only 3 response options. The Kappa between World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 items and categories was low. For all qualifiers, a significant (<0.001) overall gradient was observed across the comparator scales. Only in few of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 items could no discrete level be detected. The aggregation of the qualifiers at the Chapter and higher order levels mostly revealed fit to the Rasch model. Almost all ICF qualifiers showed ordered thresholds suggesting that the current structure and response options of the qualifiers worked as intended.
Conclusions: The findings of this study provide supporting evidence for the use of the professionally rated categories and associated qualifiers to measure functioning.
Implication for Rehabilitation
- This study provides evidence that functioning data can be collected directly with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by using the ICF categories as items and the ICF qualifiers as rating scale.
- The findings of this study show the aggregated ratings of ICF categories from the chapters d4 Mobility, d5 Self-care, and d6 Domestic life capture a broader spectrum of the construct than the corresponding summated items from the SF36-Physical Function sub-scale and the corresponding items of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0.
- This study illustrates the potential of building quantitative measurement by aggregating ICF categories and their qualifier ratings into meaningful domains.
Background
The World Health Organization developed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) in 2001 and has been in the process of implementing it in clinics since then. Current international efforts to implement ICF in rehabilitation clinics include the implementation of ICF Core Sets and the development of simple, intuitive descriptions for the ICF Generic-30 Set (also called Rehabilitation Set). The present study was designed to operationalize these ICF tools for clinical practice in Japan. This work included 1) the development of the Japanese version of the simple, intuitive descriptions for the ICF Generic-30 Set, 2) the development of a rating reference guide for Activity and Participation categories, and 3) the examination of the interrater reliability of rating Activity and Participation categories.
Methods
The Japanese version of the simple, intuitive descriptions for the ICF Generic-30 Set was developed following the process employed to develop the Chinese and Italian versions.
For further operationalization of this ICF Set in practice, a rating reference guide was developed. The development of the rating reference guide involved the following steps: 1) a trial of rating patients by several raters, 2) cognitive interviewing of the raters to analyse the thinking process involved in rating, 3) drafting of the rating reference guide, and 4) review by ICF specialists to confirm consistency with the original ICF concepts.
After the rating reference guide was developed, interrater reliability of the rating with the reference guide was determined. Interrater reliability was examined using weighted kappa statistics with linear weight.
Results
Through the pre-defined process, the Japanese version of the simple, intuitive descriptions for 30 categories of the ICF Generic-30 Set and the rating reference guides for 21 Activity and Participation categories were successfully developed. The weighted kappa statistics ranged from 0.61 to 0.85, showing substantial to excellent agreement of the ratings between raters.
Conclusions
The present study demonstrates that ICF categories can be translated into clinical practice. Collaboration between clinicians and researchers would further enhance the implementation of the ICF in Japan.
Introduction: Two widely used outcome measures to assess functioning in neurological rehabilitation are the Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) and the Barthel Index.
The current study aims to establish the equivalence of the total score of the FIM™ motor scale and the Barthel Index through the application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, and Rasch measurement theory.
Methods: Secondary analysis of a large sample of patients with stroke, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis, undergoing rehabilitation was conducted. All patients were assessed at the same time on both the FIM™ and the Barthel Index. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Linking Rules were used to establish conceptual coherency between the 2 scales, and the Rasch measurement model to establish an exchange of the total scores.
Results: Using the FIM™ motor scale, items from both scales linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health d4 Mobility or d5 Self-care chapters. Their co-calibration satisfied the assumptions of the Rasch model for each of 3 diagnostic groups. A ceiling effect was observed for the Barthel Index when contrasted against the FIM™ motor scale.
Conclusion: Having a Rasch interval metric to transform scores between the FIM™ motor scale and Barthel Index is valuable for monitoring functioning, meta-analysis, quality audits and hospital benchmarking.
In 2011 the Chinese leadership in rehabilitation, in collaboration with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Research Branch, embarked on an effort towards the system-wide implementation of the ICF in the healthcare system in China. We report here on the lessons learned from the pilot phase of testing the ICF Generic Set, a parsimonious set of 7 ICF categories, which have been shown to best describe functioning across the general population and people with various health conditions, for use in routine clinical practice in China. The paper discusses whether classification and measurement are compatible, what number of ICF categories should be included in data collection in routine practice, and the usefulness of a functioning profile and functioning score in clinical practice and health research planning. In addition, the paper reflects on the use of ICF qualifiers in a rating scale and the particularities of certain ICF categories contained in the ICF Generic Set when used as items in the context of Chinese rehabilitation and healthcare. Finally, the steps required to enhance the utility of system-wide implementation of the ICF in rehabilitation and healthcare services are set out.
Objective: To identify candidate categories for International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for the reporting and measurement of functioning in patients in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.
Design: Prospective multi-centre cohort study.
Patients: Patients receiving rehabilitation interventions for musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiopulmonary injury or disease in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.
Methods: Functioning was coded using the ICF. The criterion for selecting candidate categories for the ICF Core Sets was based on their ability to discriminate between patients with high or low functioning status. Discrimination was assessed using multivariable regression models, the independent variables being all of the ICF categories of the respective comprehensive ICF Core Set. Analogue ratings of overall functioning as reported by patients and health professionals were used as dependent variables.
Results: A total of 165 patients were included in the study (67 neurological, 37 cardiopulmonary, 61 musculoskeletal), mean age 67.5 years, 46.1% female. Selection yielded 38 categories for neurological, 32 for cardiopulmonary, and 31 for musculoskeletal.
Conclusion: The present selection of categories can be considered an initial proposal, serving to identify the issues most relevant for the assessment and monitoring of functioning in patients undergoing early post-acute rehabilitation for neurological, cardiopulmonary, and musculoskeletal conditions.
Objective: To identify candidate categories for International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for the reporting and clinical measurement of functioning in older patients in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.
Design: Prospective multi-centre cohort study. Patients: Older patients receiving rehabilitation interventions in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.
Methods: Functioning was coded using the ICF. The criterion for selecting candidate categories for the brief ICF Core Sets was based on their ability to discriminate between patients with high or low functioning status. Discrimination was assessed using multivariable regression models, the independent variables being all of the ICF categories of the respective comprehensive ICF Core Set. Analogue ratings of overall functioning as reported by patients and health professionals were used as dependent variables.
Results: A total of 209 patients were included in the study, mean age 80.4 years, 67.0% female. Selection yielded a total of 29 categories for the functioning part and 9 categories for the contextual part of the ICF.
Conclusion: The present selection of categories can be considered an initial proposal, serving to identify the issues most relevant for the clinical assessment and monitoring of functioning in older patients undergoing early post-acute rehabilitation.
Objective: To examine the relevance and completeness of the comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for patients with rehabilitation needs in acute hospital care.
Design: Multi-centre cohort study.
Patients: A total of 391 patients (50.1% female, mean age 63.4 years) from 4 university hospitals in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and one Austrian general hospital.
Methods: Data on functioning were collected using the respective comprehensive acute ICF Core Sets. Data were extracted from patients' medical record sheets and interviews with health professionals and patients.
Results: Most of the categories of the comprehensive ICF Core Sets describing impairments, limitations or restrictions occurred in a considerable proportion of the study population. The most outstanding limitations and restrictions of the patients were problems with sleep and blood vessel functions, walking and moving and self-care. Thirty-eight aspects of functioning not previously covered by the comprehensive ICF Core Sets were ranked as relevant.
Conclusion: Categories of the comprehensive ICF Core Sets for the acute hospital situation were confirmed. Some additional categories not covered by the Set in its present version emerged from the interviews, and should be considered for inclusion in a finalized version.
Objective: To identify candidate categories for brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for the reporting and measurement of functioning in patients in the acute hospital.
Design: Prospective multi-centre cohort study.
Patients: Patients receiving rehabilitation interventions for musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiopulmonary injury or disease in acute hospitals.
Methods: Functioning and contextual factors were coded using the ICF. The criterion for selecting candidate categories for the brief ICF Core Sets was based on their ability to discriminate between patients with high or low functioning status. Discrimination was assessed using multivariable regression models, the independent variables being all of the ICF categories of the respective comprehensive ICF Core Set. Analogue ratings of overall functioning as reported by patients and health professionals were used as dependent variables.
Results: A total of 391 patients were included in the study (91 neurological, 109 cardiopulmonary, 191 musculoskeletal), mean age 63.4 years, 50.1% female. Selection yielded 33 categories for neurological, 31 for cardiopulmonary, and 30 for musculoskeletal.
Conclusion: The present selection of categories can be considered an initial proposal, serving to identify the ICF categories most relevant for the practical assessment and monitoring of functioning in patients with acute neurological, cardiopulmonary, and musculoskeletal conditions.
Objectives: Instruments to assess functioning in patients with FM vary considerably in their content and are often symptom‐specific. This study aimed to examine whether it is feasible to construct a psychometric‐sound clinical instrument to measure functioning in FM based on the Brief ICF‐Core‐Set for chronic widespread pain (CWP).
Methods: Two hundred and fifty six people with FM completed the Brief ICF‐Core‐Set. The Rasch model was used for analysis. Once ordering of response options of ICF categories was ensured, the following properties were studied: fit of the ICF categories to the Rasch model, the targeting between ICF categories and a person’s abilities, unidimensionality, and reliability.
Results: Six ICF categories were rescored due to disordered thresholds. Five ICF categories were removed due to high model‐misfit and differential item functioning (DIF) for gender. Scores from 46 participants were excluded due to extreme scores. The ICF categories included display consistency with an underlying unidimensional construct, are free of DIF for age, disease duration and gender, display excellent overall reliability, and cover a range of functioning difficulties.
Conclusions: This study illustrates that it is possible to measure functioning as a unidimensional construct based on selected ICF categories from the components body functions, as well as activities and participation of the Brief ICF‐Core‐Set for CWP in patients with FM.
As part of international efforts to develop and implement national models including the specification of ICF-based clinical data collection tools, the Italian rehabilitation community initiated a project to develop simple, intuitive descriptions of the ICF Rehabilitation Set, highlighting the core concept of each category in user-friendly language.
This paper outlines the Italian experience in developing simple, intuitive descriptions of the ICF Rehabilitation Set as an ICF-based clinical data collection tool for Italy.Consensus process.Expert conference.
Multidisciplinary group of rehabilitation professionals.The first of a two-stage consensus process involved developing an initial proposal for simple, intuitive descriptions of each ICF Rehabilitation Set category based on descriptions generated in a similar process in China.
Stage two involved a consensus conference. Divided into three working groups, participants discussed and voted (vote A) whether the initially proposed descriptions of each ICF Rehabilitation Set category was simple and intuitive enough for use in daily practice.
Afterwards the categories with descriptions considered ambiguous i.e. not simple and intuitive enough, were divided among the working groups, who were asked to propose a new description for the allocated categories. These proposals were then voted (vote B) on in a plenary session.
The last step of the consensus conference required each working group to develop a new proposal for each and the same categories with descriptions still considered ambiguous.
Participants then voted (final vote) for which of the three proposed descriptions they preferred.Nineteen clinicians from diverse rehabilitation disciplines from various regions of Italy participated in the consensus process. Three ICF categories already achieved consensus in vote A, while 20 ICF categories were accepted in vote B.
The remaining 7 categories were decided in the final vote.The findings were discussed in light of current efforts toward developing strategies for ICF implementation, specifically for the application of an ICF-based clinical data collection tool, not only for Italy but also for the rest of Europe.
Promising as minimal standards for monitoring the impact of interventions and for standardized reporting of functioning as a relevant outcome in rehabilitation.