The use of the comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core set for stroke for chronic outpatients in three Brazilian rehabilitation facilities

Purpose: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Brazil. The multiple aspects of disability in these patients require proportionally comprehensive tools for their assessment. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set for stroke intends to comprehensively describe the experience of such patients with their functioning. This study aimed to empirically validate the ICF core set for stroke by checking the frequency of problems in each of its categories, thus verifying content validity. Method: A cross-sectional study in which data were collected from clinical charts, physical examination, tests, and interviews with 132 stroke outpatients under rehabilitation and their caregivers. Categories were considered not validated if less than 20% of the sample would present some degree of problems in them. Results: Only 20 categories (14 body functions, 5 body structures, and 1 activity and participation) were considered not validated. Neuromusculoskeletal functions and mobility were the aspects of functioning most often described with problems. All environmental factors were qualified as facilitators or barriers and acted as modulators of disability. Conclusions: The comprehensive ICF core sets for stroke can be used by multidisciplinary teams to classify the life experience of stroke survivors, although efforts to enable and enhance reproducibility are needed to warrant its reliable routine use.