Feasibility of using a checklist based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as an outcome measure in individuals following lower limb amputation.

BACKGROUND: 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.