Content Validity of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: An International...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a framework for understanding health and disability.
• The Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) was developed to represent typical patient functioning issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for COPD from the perspective of physicians.
• To assess the content validity of the ICF Core Set for COPD.

Main Methods:

• A three-round Delphi survey was conducted using electronic mail.
• Seventy-six physicians from 44 countries participated in the survey.
• Physician responses were linked to ICF categories.

Main Results:

• 1330 responses were linked to 148 ICF categories.
• Nine important ICF categories were not included in the COPD Core Set.
• 19 concepts related to personal factors and 17 concepts were not covered by the ICF.

Conclusions:

• The ICF Core Set for COPD demonstrates satisfactory content validity from a physician's viewpoint.
• Further investigation is needed for ICF categories and concepts not covered by the current Core Set.