Article

The International Classification of Function, Disability and Health
(ICF) has been promoted for use in clinical practice but few articles have
demonstrated that it can be used as a sensitive outcome measure, and there has
been no published evidence that it can be used for individuals following a lower
limb amputation. We developed an ICF-based checklist for individuals who had an
amputation. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of this checklist in detecting
meaningful changes of function and quality of life in persons following an
amputation using the ICF qualifiers as an outcome measure. Study Design: Time
series study. Methods: Twenty patients were rated on the ICF checklist items for
four time points; preadmission status, one week post-amputation, on discharge
from the acute hospital and three months post-amputation. Results: Seventeen
patients completed the full study, having data collected at each of the four time
points. Using the ICF checklist, we could demonstrate a significant functional
deterioration immediately after amputation with a gradual improvement in function
over the following three weeks consistent with our direct observations of these
patients. Conclusions: The ICF checklist has the potential to be used as an
outcome instrument as it appears to have content validity and sensitivity as a
measure of changes in patients following an amputation. Clinical relevance
Clinical outcome measures based on the ICF potentially improve the ability to
record, monitor and benchmark patient and treatment outcomes nationally and
internationally. This paper addresses the feasibility of ICF categories and
qualifiers when used as an outcome measure and indicates that further development
and analysis of the psychometric properties of such measures is warranted.

Langue : ANGLAIS