The international classification of functioning, disability and health as a tool for the scientifically grounded estimation of the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to develop the approaches to the introduction of the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) for the estimation of the initial conditions of the patients presenting with osteoarthrosis and the effectiveness of their medical rehabilitation. The knee joint function, the structure of the lower extremity and its functional activity were studied in 36 patients for the quantitative representation of these characteristics in terms of ICF with the subsequent assessment of the structure of the patients' rehabilitative profile and the effectiveness of their medical rehabilitation. The study demonstrated positive dynamics of all the three positive components of the state of the treated patients (function, structure, activity) especially well pronounced in the categories of functional activity. It is concluded that the international classification of functioning, disability and health may be sued as an adequate instrument for the scientifically grounded estimation of the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation.