Developing an ICF core set for post-stroke disability assessment and verification in Taiwan: a preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Disability Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide.
• Accurate assessment of post-stroke disability is crucial for effective rehabilitation planning.
• Existing assessment tools may not fully capture the bio-psycho-social impact of stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set for post-stroke disability assessment.
• To verify bio-psycho-social problems experienced by individuals after a stroke.
• To establish a standardized tool for evaluating the impact of stroke on daily life.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi consensus method involving 24 multidisciplinary experts was employed.
• Participants rated 144 stroke-relevant ICF categories using a 5-point Likert scale.
• Consensus was achieved for categories with a mean score ≥4.0 in the third round.

Main Results:

• A preliminary ICF core set comprising 51 categories was established.
• The core set includes categories from body functions (18), body structures (1), activities and participation (22), and environmental factors (10).
• High reliability was demonstrated with Spearman's rho (0.72) and Cronbach's alpha (0.98).

Conclusions:

• The developed ICF core set provides a comprehensive framework for assessing post-stroke disability.
• It offers valuable insights into the daily-life activities of chronic stroke survivors.
• Further validation studies are recommended to confirm its clinical utility.