Identification of ICF participation categories in quality-of-life instruments utilized in cerebrovascular accident victims

Abstract

To identify the categories of the participation component of the International Classification of Functionality, Incapacity, and Health (ICF) which are currently related to Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) instruments commonly used in cerebrovascular accident (CVA) victims-Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL)-and suggest the utilization of these instruments to assess and/or characterize that component in that population. Through searches in the Medline, SciELO, and Lilacs databases, a compilation of studies which associated the concepts measured by the NHP, SF-36, and SS-QOL items with the ICF components and categories, was carried out. Of the 24 identified studies, four met the established criteria: two assessed the three HRQOL instruments, one assessed the NHP and SF-36, and the other just the SS-QOL. For each instrument, three studies were found which associated their concepts up to, at least, the second hierarchical level of the ICF categories. Considering the results that were in agreement between the three studies that assessed the same instrument, nine participation categories were associated with the NHP, seven with the SF-36, and 15 with the SS-QOL, although just one was specific to the NHP, one to the SF-36, and seven to the SS-QOL. To assess the participation of CVA victims based upon the ICF framework, the SS-QOL appeared to be the most suitable instrument in that, in addition to assessing the greatest number of categories, it also assesses the greatest number of distinct categories, when compared to the other two HRQOL instruments, which added just one category to those measured by SS-QOL.