Disability and functioning assessment of women with RSI/WRMSDs: the use of the ICF checklist

Comprehensive approaches using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Checklist have been adopted to give more visibility to demands related to specific health situations.

To analyze the incapacity and functioning associated with activity/participation and environmental factors of female workers with repetitive strain injury/work-related musculoskeletal disorders (RSI/WRMSDs) using workers' narratives, ICF codes and the RSI/WRMSDs Checklist developed as a part of the present research project.

A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 15 female workers diagnosed with RSI/WRMSDs was completed. Functioning and disability were assessed by linking ICF codes identified in the participants' narratives to those included in the RSI/WRMSDs Checklist.

Fifty-three of 60 ICF codes included in the RSI/WRMSDs Checklist were detected in the participants' narratives. Related to activity/participation, 26 codes were identified and 27 related to environmental factors.

These results highlight the significance of the RSI/WMSDs Checklist to detect clinical and social problems experienced by workers during the rehabilitation and return-to-work process. They also reinforce the relevance of expanding the application of the checklist to male and female workers with RSI/WRMSDs undergoing rehabilitation to attain other levels of validation.