Redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacciger microacetabularis</Emphasis> (Martorelli et Suriano, 1983) nov. comb. parasitizing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys orbignyanus</Emphasis> (Pisces,Paralichthyidae) from Argentina

In this paper Steringotrema microacetabularis (Suriano et Martorelli, 1983) is redescribed and transferred to Bacciger Nicoll, 1924 in the Faustulidae Poche, 1926 based on newly collected material from the type-host, Paralichthys orbignyanus Valenciennes, 1839 and the type-locality, Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. A careful re-examination of the new specimens shows that some anatomical characteristics were ignored or incompletely described by the previous authors and they are included herein. The species is tentatively transferred to Bacciger with which it appears to have closest affinity. Despite the anatomical differences detailed in this paper, confirmation of this proposal must await further work, including molecular studies.     

Individual interviews and focus groups in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a comparison of two qualitative methods

Purpose  

To compare two different approaches to performing focus groups and individual interviews, an open approach, and an approach based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).     

Validating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Comprehensive Core Set for Rheumatoid Arthritis from the patient perspective: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: To validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Comprehensive Core Set for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) from the patient perspective. METHODS: Patients with RA were interviewed about their problems in daily functioning. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview texts were divided into meaning units. The concepts contained in these meaning units were linked to the ICF according to 10 established linking rules. Of the transcribed data, 15% were analyzed and linked by a second health professional. The degree of agreement was calculated using the kappa statistic. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were interviewed. Two hundred twenty different concepts contained in 367 meaning units were identified in the qualitative analysis of the interviews and linked to 109 second-level ICF categories. Of the 76 second-level categories from the ICF RA Core Set, 63 (83%) were also found in the interviews. Twenty-five second-level categories, which are not part of the current ICF RA Core Set, were identified in the interviews. The result of the kappa statistic for agreement was 0.62 (95% boot-strapped confidence interval 0.59-0.66). CONCLUSION: The validity of the ICF RA Core Set was supported by the perspective of individual patients. However, some additional issues raised in this study but not covered in the current ICF RA Core Set need to be investigated.     

Towards an ICF Core Set for chronic musculoskeletal conditions: commonalities across ICF Core Sets for osteoarthritis,rheumatoid arthritis,osteoporosis, low back pain and chronic widespread pain

The objective of the study was to identify commonalities among the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets of osteoarthritis (OA), osteoporosis (OP), low back pain (LBP), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic widespread pain (CWP). The aim is to identify relevant categories for the development of a tentative ICF Core Set for musculoskeletal and pain conditions. The ICF categories common to the five musculoskeletal and pain conditions in the Brief and Comprehensive ICF Core Sets were identified in three steps. In a first step, the commonalities across the Brief and Comprehensive ICF Core Sets for these conditions were examined. In a second and third step, we analysed the increase in commonalities when iteratively excluding one or two of the five conditions. In the first step, 29 common categories out of the total number of 120 categories were identified across the Comprehensive ICF Core Sets of all musculoskeletal and pain conditions, primarily in the component activities and participation. In the second and third step, we found that the exclusion of CWP across the Comprehensive ICF Core Sets increased the commonalities of the remaining four musculoskeletal conditions in a maximum of ten additional categories. The Brief ICF Core Sets of all musculoskeletal and pain conditions contain four common categories out of a total number of 62 categories. The iterative exclusion of a singular condition did not significantly increase the commonalities in the remaining. Based on our analysis, it seems possible to develop a tentative Comprehensive ICF Core Set across a number of musculoskeletal conditions including LBP, OA, OP and RA. However, the profile of functioning in people with CWP differs considerably and should not be further considered for a common ICF Core Set.     

“Rehabilitation Research Framework for Patients With COVID-19” Defined by Cochrane Rehabilitation and the World Health Organization Rehabilitation Programme

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in a surge of research activity. Since its outset, efforts have been made to guide the rapid generation of research in medicine. There are gaps in some areas of rehabilitation research for patients with COVID-19. The development of a specific research framework might serve to help monitor the status of research (mapping), shape and strengthen research by pointing to under-investigated areas, and promote rehabilitation research in this context. This article introduces and discusses the COVID-19 Rehabilitation Research Framework (CRRF) and presents the methodology used for its development.The questions have been developed among the World Health Organization (WHO) Rehabilitation Programme, Cochrane Rehabilitation, and the experts of its Rehabilitation–COVID-19 Evidence-based Response Action International Multiprofessional Steering Committee. The framework is divided into 2 parts and includes 20 questions organized in 4 groups: epidemiology, and evidence at the micro- (individual), meso- (health services), and macro- (health systems) levels.The CRRF offers a comprehensive view of the research areas relevant to COVID-19 and rehabilitation that are necessary to inform best practice and ensure rehabilitation services and health systems can best serve the population with COVID-19. The collaboration between Cochrane Rehabilitation and the WHO Rehabilitation Programme in establishing the CRRF brought together perspectives from the health systems, health management, and clinical evidence. The authors encourage researchers to use the CRRF when planning studies on rehabilitation in the context of COVID-19.     

Intervention categories for physiotherapists treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health holds great promise for providing rehabilitation disciplines including physiotherapy, with a universal language. The aim of this study was to investigate the content validity of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health intervention categories for physiotherapists treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions. The study was conducted as a retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study in Switzerland. It was performed with convenience samples of 300 clinical records of patients with musculoskeletal conditions. This study recommends three checklists with 38 second-level intervention categories for acute, 46 for rehabilitation, and 38 for the long-term context. The practical application of three lists, each containing second level intervention categories, should improve the standardization of documentation in physiotherapy practice. This may also provide the transparency increasingly demanded in the current political climate.     

Modeling life satisfaction in spinal cord injury: the role of psychological resources

Purpose

The aims of the study were (1) to examine the associations between the psychological resources general self-efficacy (GSE) and purpose in life (PIL), appraisals, coping and life satisfaction, and (2) to examine whether the effects of the psychological resources on life satisfaction are mediated by appraisals and coping, as proposed by the spinal cord injury adjustment model (SCIAM).

Methods

Cross-sectional multicenter study conducted with persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in the community in Switzerland (N = 516). Pearson’s correlations were calculated for aim 1, and structural equation modeling was conducted to address aim 2.

Results

GSE (r = .48) and PIL (r = .58) were positively related to life satisfaction. The initial model corresponding to the SCIAM yielded a poor model fit. The final model had a good model fit [χ ² = 66.0, df = 21, p < .01, RMSEA = .065 (90 % confidence interval .048–.082), CFI = .97] explaining 57 % of variance of life satisfaction. PIL had a direct large effect on life satisfaction (β = .54). The influence of GSE on life satisfaction was mediated by loss appraisals. Avoidance, active and humor coping had small effects on life satisfaction.

Conclusions

Psychological resources have a substantial effect on life satisfaction in persons with SCI. Our results correspond with the SCIAM and its conceptualization of adjustment as a multifactorial process, but did not fully support the hypothesized mediation. PIL was strongly related to higher life satisfaction and may be a suitable intervention target to support persons with SCI.     

Concept Analysis of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) and the International Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health (ICF)

Purpose

The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ^® ) is a US National Institutes of Health initiative that has produced self-report outcome measures, using a framework of physical, mental, and social health defined by the World Health Organization in 1948 (WHO, in Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 1948). The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a comprehensive classification system of health and health-related domains that was put forward in 2001. The purpose of this report is to compare and contrast PROMIS and ICF conceptual frameworks to support mapping of PROMIS instruments to the ICF classification system .

Methods

We assessed the objectives and the classification schema of the PROMIS and ICF frameworks, followed by content analysis to determine whether PROMIS domain and sub-domain level health concepts can be linked to the ICF classification.

Results

Both PROMIS and ICF are relevant to all individuals, irrespective of the presence of health conditions, person characteristics, or environmental factors in which persons live. PROMIS measures are intended to assess a person’s experiences of his or her health, functional status, and well-being in multiple domains across physical, mental, and social dimensions. The ICF comprehensively describes human functioning from a biological, individual, and social perspective. The ICF supports classification of health and health-related states such as functioning, but is not a specific measure or assessment of health, per se. PROMIS domains and sub-domain concepts can be meaningfully mapped to ICF concepts.

Conclusions

Theoretical and conceptual similarities support the use of PROMIS instruments to operationalize self-reported measurement for many body function, activity and participation ICF concepts, as well as several environmental factor concepts. Differences observed in PROMIS and ICF conceptual frameworks provide a stimulus for future research and development.