Health assessment instruments in Portuguese version and its comprehensiveness with ICF framework: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

Clinical practice has been subsidized by instruments that record and allow access to information on functionality and health of individuals. One way to approach the content of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is to use it as a reference to aid the professional in choosing the most appropriate instrument to access biopsychosocial information. We intend to identify health assessment instruments that had their content linked to the contents of the ICF and the presence of the Portuguese version of them. A systematic review was conducted of the SciELO Brazil, Lilacs and PubMed databases with the descriptors “ICF”, “questionnaire” and “linking rules” in Portuguese and English. Three independent researchers performed the papers’ selection, and the level of agreement was obtained by the kappa coefficient. The eligibility criteria were primary studies for questionnaires, scales, indices and checklists content linking to ICF published after 2001 in Portuguese or English. A total of 61 articles were included, of which 19 were of Brazilian origin. Given the totality of 250 instruments with ICF-related content, 158 (63.2%) presented a Portuguese-language version; just two of the 37 most cited works presented a Portuguese version. The Kappa coefficient showed significative agreement between moderate and good. This study provided an overview of the content connection between clinical practice instruments to ICF, identifying which instruments have Portuguese translation and its potential for strengthening the biopsychosocial approach.

Keywords:
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; ICF; Questionnaires; Review