[Application problems of the use of the Core set ICF in the rehabilitation area].

Many validation studies of instruments of evaluation derived from ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) are actually in course. In particular, a multicentric protocol with the goal of validating some ICF core sets (in the two forms comprehensive and brief) and the WHO-DAS II Scale is coordinated by the Montescano Scientific Institute of Maugeri Foundation and is currently carried out in our country. During the realization of the protocol some implementation difficulties have emerged; it is essential to point out these problems in order to contribute to their solution. These include in particular: 1) Poor inter-operator repeatability of the evaluation relative to the attribution of the qualificators describing the difficulty level of the person in exam in performing a function, an activity or in relation to an environmental factor; 2) Interrelation problems with the patient due to the complexity of defining some categories in particular in the environmental factor component; 3) Conceptual and applicative problems deriving from the categories of the activity and participation component. Overcoming such difficulties seems to be an essential requirement in order to propose a wide spread application of the ICF evaluation instruments in the practice.