Alarcos Cieza¹; Susanne Schwarzkopf²; Tanja Sigl²; Gerold Stucki³; John Melvin⁴; Thomas Stoll⁵; Anthony Woolf⁶; Nenad Kostanjsek⁷; Nicolas Walsh³

Volume 36, Supplement 44, Supplement 44/August 2004, pp. 81-86(6)

1: ICF Research Branch, WHO FIC Collaborating Center (DIMDI), IMBK Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich Germany 2: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich Germany 3: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Texas USA 4: Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia USA 5: AarReha Schinznach Schinznach-Bad Switzerland 6: Royal Cornwall Hospital Cornwall UK 7: Classification, Assessment, Surveys and Terminology Team World Health Organization Geneva Switzerland
DOI: 10.1080/16501960410016028

Objective: To report on the results of the consensus process integrating evidence from preliminary studies to develop the first version of a Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set and a Brief ICF Core Set for osteoporosis.

Methods: A formal decision-making and consensus process integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies was followed. Preliminary studies included a Delphi exercise, a systematic review, and an empirical data collection. After training in the ICF and based on these preliminary studies, relevant ICF categories were identified in a formal consensus process by international experts from different backgrounds.

Results: The preliminary studies identified a set of 239 ICF categories at the second, third and fourth ICF levels with 72 categories on body functions , 41 on body structures , 81 on activities and participation , and 45 on environmental factors . Fifteen experts from 7 different countries attended the consensus conference on osteoporosis. Altogether 67 second-level and 2 third-level categories were included in the Comprehensive ICF Core Set with 15 categories from the component body functions , 7 from body structures , 21 from activities and participation , and 26 from environmental factors . The Brief ICF Core Set included a total of 22 second-level categories with 5 on body functions , 4 on body structures , 6 on activities and participation , and 7 on environmental factors .

Conclusion: A formal consensus process integrating evidence and expert opinion based on the ICF framework and classification led to the definition of ICF Core Sets for osteoporosis. Both the Comprehensive ICF Core Set and the Brief ICF Core Set were defined.