Objective:To systematically review the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in observational studies. Methods: This study is a systematic review of articles that use the ICF in observational studies. We took into account the observational design papers available in databases such as PubMed, Lilacs and SciELO, published in English and Portuguese from January 2001 to June 2011. We excluded those in which the samples did not comprise individuals, those about children and adolescents, and qualitative methodology articles. After reading the abstracts of 265 identified articles, 65 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 18 were excluded. The STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) adapted Checklist, with 15 items needed for observational studies, was applied to the 47 remaining articles. Any paper that met 12 of these criteria was included in this systematic review. Results: 29 articles were reviewed. Regarding the ICF application methodology, the checklist was used in 31% of the articles, the core set in 31% and the ICF categories in 31%. In the remaining 7%, it was not possible to define the applied methodology. In most papers (41%), qualifiers were used in their original format. As far as the area of knowledge is concerned, most of the studies were related to Rheumatology (24%) and Orthopedics (21%). Regarding the study design, 83% of the articles used cross-sectional studies. Conclusion: Results indicate a wide scientific production related to ICF over the past 10 years. Different areas of knowledge are involved in the debate on the improvement of information on morbidity. However, there are only a few quantitative epidemiological studies involving the use of ICF. Future studies are needed to improve data related to functioning and disability.

No abstract

Objective To analyze the factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with cervical cancer (CC) in a single center in Rio de Janeiro, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study in women with a diagnosis of CC followed-up in the gynecology outpatient clinic of the Hospital do Câncer II (HCII, in the Portuguese acronym) of the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA, in the Portuguese acronym). The data were collected from March to August 2015. Women with palliative care, communication/cognition difficulty, undergoing simultaneous treatment for other types of cancer, or undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy were excluded. For the evaluation of the HRQoL, a specific questionnaire for women with CC was used (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Cervix Cancer [FACT-Cx]). The total score of the questionnaire ranges from 0 to 168, with higher scores indicating a better HRQoL. Results A total of 115 women were included in the present study, with a mean age of 52.64 years old (standard deviation [SD] = 12.13). The domains of emotional (16.61; SD = 4.55) and functional well-being (17.63; SD = 6.15) were those which presented the worst scores. The factors that had an association with better HRQoL in women with CC were having a current occupation, a longer time since the treatment and diagnosis, and women who had undergone hysterectomy. Conclusion Considering the domains of HRQoL of the women treated for cervical cancer, a better score was observed in the domains of physical and social/family well-being. For most domains, better scores were found between those with a current occupation, with a longer time after the diagnosis and treatment, and among those who had undergone a hysterectomy.

No abstract

Introduction: Sexual function (SF) is an important issue in women’s health from the beginning of sexual life. SF can be modified by several factors, and the presence of sexual dysfunction may negatively affect the quality of life of these women. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the sexual function, its associated factors and the association with the functioning in women in reproductive age. Method: A cross-sectional observational study with 172 women that attended 6 Family Health Facilities in the northeast region of Brazil. The evaluation tool consisted of (i) sociodemographic, obstetrical and gynecological issues, and questions about habits and health conditions, (ii) female sexual quotient (FSQ), and (iii) World Health Organization Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). Prevalence of sexual dysfunction was calculated, and bivariate analysis was used to estimate the association of independent variables with the outcome of sexual dysfunction. Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 37.2%, and 39.5% of the sample considered their sexual health as fair to good. In total, 26.2% of women never think of sex spontaneously, they do not remember or imagine themselves during sexual intercourse, and 38.4% think about it sometimes. No association was found between the investigated variables and sexual dysfunction; however, the latter showed an association on interpersonal relationships of women (p = 0.016). Conclusions: There is a considerable prevalence of sexual dysfunction between women in reproductive age. Thus, results emphasize the relevance of investigations about female sexual function among women in reproductive age that are not in the pregnancy and postpartum period.

Introduction: In the last decade, the inclusion of a functioning indicator in health care has been discussed on the international agenda. The strategies related to the implementation of these indicators are issues that involve health education, governance, and medical records. Objective: study aims to discuss the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) potential as a useful tool to produce information on health care services. Method: As theoretical assumptions, the universal model of the ICF based on the biopsychosocial model was used. Results: When used as a health indicator, functioning data can measure the real effect of some health conditions in different life domains. Based on the reflections carried out and theoretical foundations accessed, the study shows that the implementation of functioning indicators in periodical population health surveys and protocols of clinical documentation regardless the level of health service would be relevant for Patient Care Planning. Note that the group of functioning indicators should be proposed in a universal language and, therefore, ICF represents the most comprehensive model. Conclusion: Information regarding health status can be useful to enable health care management. Furthermore, ICF are essential to improve the documentation service of the health system and also can be used in planning and monitoring health care. It can also be used to collect disability data in surveys ensuring comparison among different surveys.

The scales are linked with the classification at different levels. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire was the most limited instrument. Bristol Female Urinary Tract Symptoms Questionnaire and Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire presented greater agreement with the ICF, but the concepts in their items are mostly linked to body functions, denoting a biomedical vision. King's Health Questionnaire demonstrated greater affinity with the ICF, and most concepts were related to the activities and participation categories, approaching more effectively the biopsychosocial model. Implications for Rehabilitation Choosing the right instrument to assess the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence can be a difficult task, since the instruments have different approaches. The use of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a reference among health professionals involved in rehabilitation of women with urinary incontinence will promote unification of the language about this group functioning. The comparison among instruments presented here will help the professional to choose the one that provides the greatest amount of information in a consistent way, aiding the clinical decision-making process.

Resumo Introdução O câncer do colo do útero é o terceiro tipo de câncer mais comum entre as mulheres em todo o mundo. Sua incidência é consideravelmente mais alta em países de baixa e média renda. Objetivo Verificar a prevalência de incapacidade em mulheres com câncer do colo do útero (CCU) utilizando a Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF) como referência. Método Estudo observacional transversal realizado com mulheres com CCU em tratamento em um hospital de referência no Rio de Janeiro. Foi aplicado o checklist da CIF e um instrumento específico de avaliação da qualidade de vida (FACT-Cx - Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cervix Cancer). Resultados Foram incluídas no estudo 116 mulheres. A maior parte foi diagnosticada no estádio IB, e mais da metade recebeu como tratamento a quimioterapia conjugada com radioterapia. A maior prevalência de incapacidade foi encontrada para a deficiência das estruturas do sistema reprodutivo (96,6%), seguido de problemas nas funções da energia e do impulso (70,3%), funções emocionais (70,7%) e limitação para carregar e transportar objetos (67,2%). O domínio do bem-estar emocional foi o mais comprometido de acordo coma análise realizada pelo FACT-Cx. Conclusão A prevalência de incapacidade em mulheres com CCU foi elevada para todos os componentes da CIF, refletindo o impacto tanto da doença quanto do seu tratamento na funcionalidade. A abordagem biopsicossocial deve ser incorporada nas rotinas de planejamento do cuidado oncológico para mulheres com câncer do colo do útero.