Development of consensus International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core sets for...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Health Services Research
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Lymphedema management requires effective methods to describe patient functioning and treatment outcomes.
• The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a standardized framework for assessing functioning.
• ICF Core Sets are crucial for efficiently capturing relevant aspects of functioning in specific health conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the initial versions of ICF Core Sets for lymphedema.
• To define comprehensive and brief ICF Core Sets tailored to different lymphedema locations (upper limb, lower limb, midline).

Main Methods:

• A consensus conference was convened to determine ICF Core Sets for lymphedema.
• Four preparatory studies informed the consensus process: systematic review, qualitative study, expert survey, and cross-sectional study.
• Frequency rankings of ICF categories were derived from these studies, followed by working group discussions and plenary sessions.

Main Results:

• The consensus conference successfully defined the first versions of ICF Core Sets for lymphedema.
• Specific Comprehensive and Brief Core Sets were established for upper limb, lower limb, and midline lymphedema.
• The defined ICF Core Sets include distinct items relevant to each lymphedema region.

Conclusions:

• The developed ICF Core Sets offer a standardized approach for describing lymphedema-related functioning.
• These Core Sets facilitate consistent communication and goal setting in lymphedema care.
• Further validation of the ICF Core Sets across different health professions and countries is recommended.