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Functional assessment scales: a study of persons with multiple sclerosis.
C V Granger1, A C Cotter, B B Hamilton
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Buffalo General Hospital, NY.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|October 1, 1990
Summary
Functional assessment scales, like the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), effectively predict care needs and life satisfaction in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The FIM score directly correlates with daily assistance time required for individuals with MS.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) presents significant disability, impacting patients' daily lives and requiring substantial care.
- Accurate assessment of disability is crucial for resource allocation and patient well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate disability in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) using functional assessment scales.
- To predict the burden of care (minutes of assistance per day) and life satisfaction in MS patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized functional assessment scales including the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Incapacity Status Scale, Environmental Status Scale, and Barthel Index.
- Correlated scale scores with objective measures of care assistance and subjective life satisfaction.
Main Results:
- High intercorrelations were found among the assessed scales.
- The FIM was the most useful scale for predicting physical care needs.
- A one-point change in FIM score corresponded to an average of 3.38 minutes of daily assistance.
- FIM, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Environmental Status Scale predicted general life satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- Functional assessment instruments should be compared using burden of care and life satisfaction as pragmatic standards.
- These standards reflect the real-world impact of disability on individuals and community resources.
- The FIM is a valuable tool for quantifying disability and guiding care in MS.