Validation of the comprehensive ICF Core Set for patients in geriatric post-acute rehabilitation facilities

To examine the relevance and completeness of the comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for patients in geriatric post-acute rehabilitation facilities.

Multi-centre cohort study.

A total of 209 patients (67% female, mean age 80.4 years) in geriatric wards of 2 Austrian and 3 German hospitals.

Data on functioning were collected using the respective comprehensive ICF Core Set. Data were extracted from patients' medical record sheets and interviews with health professionals and patients.

Most of the categories of the comprehensive ICF Core Set 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 walking and moving around, and difficulties with self-care. Fourteen aspects of functioning not previously covered by the comprehensive ICF Core Set were reported as relevant.

Most categories of the comprehensive ICF Core Set could be confirmed. Limitations in categories of intellectual and seeing functions appeared less frequently than might have been expected for a population of older hospitalized people. Some additional categories not covered by the present version of the comprehensive ICF Core Set emerged from the interviews and should be considered for inclusion in the final version.