International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: development of an assessment set to evaluate functioning based on the Brief ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions - ICF HandA

Abstract

Timely identification of patients' problems after disorder or injury of the hand requires a thorough functional assessment. However, the variety of outcome measures available makes it difficult to choose the appropriate instrument. The brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (Brief ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions) provides a standard for what aspects need to be measured in hand injuries and disorders without specifying how to make the assessment. We developed the ICF-based Assessment Hand (ICF Hand_A), an assessment set for functioning based on the Brief ICF Core Set for Hand Conditions. First, we performed a literature review and an expert survey to pool outcome measures appropriate to assess functioning in clinical practice. At an interdisciplinary consensus conference experts decided on the outcome measures to be included in the ICF Hand_A. The ICF Hand_A provides a consensus on outcome measures and instruments to systematically assess function in patients with hand injuries and disorders.

Keywords: Disability and Health; ICF; ICF Core Set; International Classification of Functioning; hand disorders; hand injuries; outcome assessment.