The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and rheumatic diseases

Assessment of the impact of the rheumatic disease on the individual patient is necessary to evaluate the outcome of an intervention targeted at the disease process as well as at the restoration of the patient's functioning. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a comprehensive tool designed to record and organise a wide range of information about health and health related states, based on bio-psycho-social perspective. The ICF components, namely, body functions, body structures, and activities and participation are complemented by the contextual components, environmental factors and personal factors. All of them are in mutual interactions. The ICF contains lists of so-called ICF categories that describe the components of the integrative World Health Organisation model. It uses an alphanumerical model where categories are 'nested' so that broader categories are defined to include more detailed subcategories of the parent categories. Organized in such a way and with more than 1400 categories ICF covers virtually all the spectrum of problems encountered in patients with musculoskeletal conditions. The main practical tools of the ICF include ICF check lists, ICF core sets, ICF categorical profile and ICF assessment sheet. The ICF is likely to become the generally accepted conceptual framework and will be increasingly used in clinical practice to structure patient problems, particularly in multidisciplinary care and for rehabilitation purposes.