Validation of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Vocational Rehabilitation From the Perspective of Physical Therapists: International Delphi Survey.

BACKGROUND: The Comprehensive ICF Core Set for vocational rehabilitation (VR) is a list of essential categories on functioning based on the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which describes a standard for interdisciplinary assessment, documentation, and communication in VR.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the content validity of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for VR from the perspective of physical therapists.

DESIGN: A 3-round email survey was performed using the Delphi method.

METHODS: A convenience sample of international physical therapists working in VR with work experience of ≥2 years were asked to identify aspects they consider as relevant when evaluating or treating clients in VR. Responses were linked to the ICF categories and compared with the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for VR.

RESULTS: Sixty-two physical therapists from all 6 WHO world regions responded with 3,917 statements that were subsequently linked to 338 ICF categories. Fifteen (17%) of the 90 categories in the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for VR were confirmed by the physical therapists in the sample. Twenty-two additional ICF categories were identified that were not included in the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for VR.

LIMITATIONS: Vocational rehabilitation in physical therapy is not well defined in every country and might have resulted in the small sample size. Therefore, the results cannot be generalized to all physical therapists practicing in VR.

CONCLUSION: The content validity of the ICF Core Set for VR is insufficient from solely a physical therapist perspective. The results of this study could be used to define a physical therapy-specific set of ICF categories to develop and guide physical therapist clinical practice in VR.