How to use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a reference system for comparative evaluation and standardized reporting of rehabilitation interventions

Gerold Stucki, Alex Pollock, Julia Patrick Engkasan, Melissa Selb

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    45 Citations (Scopus)
    1071 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Rehabilitation aims to optimize functioning of persons experiencing functioning limitations. As such the comparative evaluation of rehabilitation interventions relies on the analysis of the differences between the change in patient functioning after a specific rehabilitation intervention versus the change following another intervention. A robust health information reference system that can facilitate the comparative evaluation of changes in functioning in
    rehabilitation studies and the standardised reporting of rehabilitation interventions is the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The objective of this paper is to present recommendations that Cochrane Rehabilitation could adopt for using the ICF in rehabilitation studies by: 1) defining the functioning categories to be included in a rehabilitation study, 2) specifying selected functioning categories and selecting suitable data
    collection instruments, 3) examining aspects of functioning that have been documented in a study, 4) reporting functioning data collected with various data collection instruments, and 5) communicating results in an accessible, meaningful and easily understandable way. The authors provide examples of concrete studies that underscore these recommendations, whereby also emphasizing the need for future research on the implementation of specific
    recommendations, e.g. in meta-analysis in systematic literature reviews. Furthermore, the paper outlines how the ICF can complement or be integrated in established Cochrane and rehabilitation research structures and methods, e.g. use of standard mean difference to compare cross-study data collected using different measures, in developing core outcome sets (COS) for rehabilitation, and the use of the PICO model.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)384-394
    Number of pages11
    JournalEuropean Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
    Volume55
    Issue number3
    Early online date15 Apr 2019
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2019

    Keywords

    • functioning
    • International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
    • rehabilitation
    • outcome assessment
    • Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
    • Rehabilitation
    • Disability and Health
    • International Classification of Functioning

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Rehabilitation
    • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

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