Differences between rehabilitation team, rehabilitants, and significant others in opinions on functioning of subacute stroke survivors: Turku ICF study.

To assess quantitative differences between rehabilitation team, rehabilitants, and significant others in opinions on functioning of subacute stroke survivors. During inpatient interdisciplinary neurorehabilitation, the interdisciplinary team, nurses, rehabilitants, and significant others reported their opinions on the functioning of consecutive 62 rehabilitants. Data were gathered using the structured form based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Brief Core Set for Stroke. Agreement between observers on the presence and severity of restrictions in functioning was analyzed. The strongest agreement between different observers on all studied ICF categories was achieved between the interdisciplinary team and nurses (weighted squared κ=0.7-0.9). The weakest agreement was detected between the team and rehabilitants (weighted squared κ=0.1-0.6). Support by family was found to be an important facilitating factor of functioning by all observers. Limitations in cognitive activity were identified less frequently than other restrictions. Opinions on restrictions in functioning may differ between the interdisciplinary team, rehabilitants, and significant others. These differences can be assessed quantitatively and documented using the ICF Core Set for Stroke. This potential observer-dependent discrepancy should be taken into account during the process of neurorehabilitation.