1,248
Views
9
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Rehabilitation in Practice

ICF profiling of patients with traumatic brain injury: an international professional survey

, , , , &
Pages 82-88 | Received 12 Mar 2012, Accepted 25 Feb 2013, Published online: 18 Apr 2013
 

Abstract

Purpose: A worldwide internet survey was conducted (1) to identify problems of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) addressed by health professionals and (2) to summarize these problems using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Method: A pool of professionals involved in the TBI rehabilitation process that included physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and psychologists were surveyed to identify problems in functioning and contextual factors of individuals with TBI using open-ended questions. All answers were translated (“linked”) to the ICF based on established rules. The frequencies of the linked ICF categories were reported stratified based on context. Results: One-hundred thirty seven professionals from the six World Health Organization regions identified 5656 concepts. 92.66% could be linked to the ICF; 33.03% were related to the domain of body functions, 27.28% to activities and participation, 10.98% to structures and 21.38% to environmental factors. Conclusions: The complexity of TBI was described through the identification of a wide variety of ICF categories. ICF language proved to be a neutral framework allowing the comparison of answers between different professionals in different world regions.

    Implications for Rehabilitation

  • People that suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may have a variety of sequelae that impair functioning. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) can help in providing information regarding the identification of patients problems and needs as well as planning, implementing and coordinating the rehabilitation process.

  • The ICF provides a frame of reference process illustrated as the rehabilitation cycle that can help during the rehabilitation process in goal setting bringing together the clinicians’ and patient’s perspectives in a patient oriented biopsychosocial approach.

  • In the field of TBI rehabilitation, activity limitations and participation restrictions are broadly affected as reported by the professionals interviewed and highly influenced by cognitive and moreover behavioral problems.

Acknowledgements

The project is a collaboration effort of the Institut Guttmann-UAB, Badalona, Spain, in cooperation among the ICF Research Branch Collaboration Centre of the Family of International Classifications (DIMDI, Germany) at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich (Germany) and the International Brain Injury Association (IBIA). We thank all participants for their invaluable contribution and the time they have dedicate to respond to the demanding questionnaire (in alphabetical order): Abdulrahman Altowaijri, Adeline Hodgkinson, Ahmed Gill, Allen Brown, Alvaro Bilbao, Alya Reeve, Amor Bize, Ana Georgievski, Anita Kiesilainen, Anne Moessner, Anne Pfaff, Antonia Enseñat, Arthur Shores, Beatriz Gavilan, Birgitta Johansson, Brandi Brian, Caterina Pistarini, Catheryne Waterhouse, Christine M Taylor, Cristina Lopez Pascua, Danielle Jagodic, Danny Joelson, Deb Toffolo, Dejana Zajc, Denise Gobert, Denise Young, Dominique Monnin, Donna Wakkim, Eli Rotar, Evard Ehler, Franz Weilbach, Gary M. Abrams, George KC Wong, Gerard Ribbers, Gina Mitchell, Grabljevec Klemen, Grahame Simpson, Hangsasuta Sriluck, Helene Soberg, Hugo Nuñez Bernadet, Ian Cameron, Igor Bombin, Ingerid Kleffelgard, Isabel Gagnon, Izumi Kondo, James F. Malec, James January, Jane Galvin, Jaqueline Dote Araya, Jill Hummell, Jim Huntley, Jiri Neumann, Joe Gurka, Jorge Díaz-Ruiz, Josep Medina, Juliette Truman, Jürg Kesselring, Kim Wanho, Lars Jacobsson, Leanne Hassett, Leanne Togher, Leila Nevalainen, Lorraine Fields, Louise Van Laren, Lyndall Ross, Maja Ogrin, Maja Povse, Marcella Forman, Margaret MacPherson, Mark Sabaz, Mark Sherer, Marta Arriola, Mary Wehde, Mercè Yuguero, Michael Perdices, Michelle Mekky, Monika Finger, Montse Martinell, Nadja Andelic, Nadia Pare, Nina Strydom, Ofer Keren, Olga Svestkova, Olulola Oladapo, Philippe Vuadens, Randi Aabol, Ricardo Eckardt Labbé, Rita Ehrenfors, Samantha Grant, Sam-Gyu Lee, Sanna Koskinen, Šebková Natálie, Shiv L Yadav, Skye McDonald, Srikumar Venkataraman, Stephanie Ritter, Sybille Roschka, Teresa Roig, Thelma Osoteo, Tim Fairbairn, Tony Young, U Singh, Unni Sveen, Varje-Riin Tuulik Leisi, Walter Stobaugh, Wayne Gordon, Wilfried Schupp, Zeev Meiner.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 65.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 374.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable
 

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.