Identification of relevant ICF categories by patients with neurological conditions in early post-acute rehabilitation...

To describe functioning and health of patients with neurological conditions in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities and to identify the most common problems using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Cross-sectional survey in a convenience sample of patients with neurological conditions requiring rehabilitation in early post-acute facilities. The second-level categories of the ICF were used to collect information on patients' problems. For the ICF components Body Functions, Body Structures and Activities and Participation absolute and relative frequencies of impairments/limitations in the study population were reported. For the component Environmental Factors absolute and relative frequencies of perceived barriers or facilitators were reported.

The mean age in the sample was 56.6 years with a median age of 60 years. Forty percent of the patients were female. In 292 neurological patients 125 categories (51%) had a prevalence of 30% and above: 39 categories (49%) of Body Functions, 11 categories (28%) of Body Structures, 64 categories (88%) of Activities and Participation and 10 (20%) categories of Environmental Factors.

This study is a first step towards the development of ICF Core Sets for of patients with neurological conditions in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.