The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in practice in rheumatological care and...

The aim of this article is to review the recent literature on the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in practice in rheumatological care and research. The specific aims were to explore how the ICF has been used as a frame of reference for identifying functional problems of patients using qualitative and quantitative research methods; determining typical problem areas of functioning; and measuring functioning of people with rheumatic diseases.

The ICF was used as a frame of reference for formulating interview questions and for analysing data in qualitative research. The majority of experiences of patients could be linked to the ICF. In quantitative surveys and by reviewing medical records, the ICF could be used as a model to identify problem areas of patients from the perspective of experts. The ICF served as a frame of reference for performing content comparisons of several health-status instruments.

In rheumatological care and research, the translation of aspects of functioning important to patients and of the content of health-status instruments to ICF terms enables researchers and clinicians to condense and compare the meaning of patients' experiences and the content of the instruments.