Brief ICF Core Set for patients in geriatric post-acute rehabilitation facilities

To identify candidate categories for International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for the reporting and clinical measurement of functioning in older patients in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.

Prospective multi-centre cohort study.

Older patients receiving rehabilitation interventions in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.

Functioning was coded using the ICF. The criterion for selecting candidate categories for the brief ICF Core Sets was based on their ability to discriminate between patients with high or low functioning status. Discrimination was assessed using multivariable regression models, the independent variables being all of the ICF categories of the respective comprehensive ICF Core Set. Analogue ratings of overall functioning as reported by patients and health professionals were used as dependent variables.

A total of 209 patients were included in the study, mean age 80.4 years, 67.0% female. Selection yielded a total of 29 categories for the functioning part and 9 categories for the contextual part of the ICF.

The present selection of categories can be considered an initial proposal, serving to identify the issues most relevant for the clinical assessment and monitoring of functioning in older patients undergoing early post-acute rehabilitation.