Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test (MSPT): An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool
Published on: June 30, 2014
Use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to identify preliminary
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Poplar Road Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, 3052, Australia. fary.khan@mh.org.au
Purpose:
To identify the preliminary comprehensive and brief core sets for multiple sclerosis (MS), in a Delphi process using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Method:
Focus groups and a consensus process were used to identify ICF core sets for MS. This included: preliminary ICF studies; empirical patient data collection for 101 MS participants; review of the evidence base and treatment in MS literature followed by a Delphi exercise with 23 physicians and allied health professionals in Melbourne, Australia.
Results:
One hundred and forty-four (40%) second level ICF categories were selected by 23 participants in three rounds. The comprehensive MS ICF core set includes 34 (24%) categories from the component 'body function', six (4%) categories from 'body structures', 68 (47%) from 'activities and participation' and 36 (25%) from the component 'environmental' factors. Ten categories in 'personal factors' in MS were also suggested by the participants after intensive discussions. The brief set comprises 30 categories, 21% of categories in the comprehensive core set.
Conclusion:
Consensus expert opinion can use ICF categories to identify the core set for MS which reflects disease complexity and care burden for persons' with MS. Further research is needed to identify ICF categories of relevant personal factors to improve our understanding of the large social and cultural variance associated with them.
Related Concept Videos
Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
Intellectual Disability
Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions
Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe and...
Dimensions of Health and Illness
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...

