EDUCATION

How to assess the impact of arthritis on the individual patient: the WHO ICF

G Stucki, T Ewert

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Germany

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor G Stucki
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, ICF Research Branch, WHO FIC Collaborating Centre (DIMDI), IMBK, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioninistr 15, 81377 Munich, Germany; gerold.stucki{at}med.uni-muenchen.de

The ICF is not only a comprehensive and adequate framework for assessing the impact of arthritis on individual patients but also its impact on populations. The ICF framework and applications such as the ICF Core Sets for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and low back pain are therefore likely to be used extensively not only in clinical practice but also in outcomes and rehabilitation research, education, health statistics, and regulation.

Abbreviations: ICF, International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health; OA, osteoarthritis; RA, rheumatoid arthritis

Keywords: framework of disability; ICF core sets; measures; rehabilitation

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