Validation of the "Activity and participation" component of ICF Core Sets for stroke patients in Japanese rehabilitation wards

OBJECTIVE: To validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for stroke in the assessment of functional status and disability in Japanese stroke patients. METHODS: The study included stroke patients admitted to the Kaifukuki (convalescent) rehabilitation wards. The comprehensive ICF Core Set for neurological conditions for post-acute care and the ICF rehabilitation set were evaluated with qualifiers assessed by the physiatrists at admission. The "activity and participation" (d) component was divided to sub-components (cognition-related activity, motor-related activity and participation). The correlations between numbers of problem categories in the entire "d" component and these sub-components in each ICF Core Set and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: A total of 117 post-stroke patients (mean age 70.1 ± 14.2 years, 53 women) were included. Correlation analysis identified significant and strong correlations between the values of the entire "d" component and sub-components (cognition-related activity and motor-related activity) of the 2 ICF Core Sets and FIM score. A significant, but weak, correlation between FIM and the participation sub-component was identified. CONCLUSION: The "d" component of these 2 ICF Core Sets reflects functional status and disability and could be a valid measure in post-acute stroke patients in the rehabilitation setting.