Development and validation of the ICF‐Incontinence Assessment Form (ICF‐IAF) to identify problems and resources for planning and evaluation of interventions using the Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health of the World Health Organization: Preliminary study

• Published in: Neurourology and urodynamics Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 1053 - 1066
• Main Authors: König, Irene, Kuhn, Manuel, Radlinger, Lorenz, Koehler, Barbara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2019
• Subjects: Classification; communication; Delphi Technique; Disability Evaluation; Disabled Persons; Disease Management; Fecal incontinence; Fecal Incontinence - diagnosis; Fecal Incontinence - therapy; health; holistic; Humans; multidisciplinary; outcome; Patients; Questionnaires; rehabilitation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urinary incontinence; Urinary Incontinence - diagnosis; Urinary Incontinence - therapy; multidisciplinary; rehabilitation; health; holistic; communication; outcome; disease management
• DOI: 10.1002/nau.23938
• ISSN: 0733-2467

Aims Current level‐A recommended questionnaires that provide a valid assessment of urinary incontinence (UI) and/or faecal incontinence (FI), but do not cover all aspects of the burden of the disease in the sense of the bio‐psycho‐social model of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Therefore, an ICF oriented questionnaire for patients with UI and/or FI to assess treatment barriers (problems) as well as positive influencing factors (resources), the “ICF‐Incontinence Assessment Form” will be developed. The aim of this preliminary study was (a) to identify problems and resources of UI and/or FI in current level‐A recommended questionnaires and (b) to evaluate problems and resources of patients with UI and/or FI from the perspective of experienced physiotherapists. Methods (a) Current level‐A recommended questionnaires for UI and/or FI were analyzed. Questions were linked to the ICF categories. (b) A 3‐round Delphi technique survey among 262 physiotherapists from five German‐speaking countries was used to evaluate patients' problems and resources relevant to physiotherapy. Results (a) A total of 27 identified questionnaires were linked to 110 ICF categories. No positive influencing factors could be identified. (b) After Delphi‐round 3, 110 categories of problems and 71 resources were identified. Conclusion Since there is a lack of resource items in the present validated questionnaires, there is a need for a short, practical questionnaire to assess and monitor both, problems and resources of patients with UI and/or FI.