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The purpose of this narrative review was to describe and compare the characteristics and episodic nature of disability among three chronic illnesses: multiple sclerosis (MS), HIV and fibromyalgia (FM). Searches were performed in electronic databases using a combination of keywords including episodic, relapse, remission, and fluctuation. We included articles published between 2004–2014 that described health challenges and the episodic nature of the illness. Data were extracted from selected articles, including the authors, date of publication, study population, the aims of the study, outcome measures and main study findings, and then were charted and collated to the dimensions of disability in the episodic disability framework. The descriptive words about symptoms/impairments, difficulty in day to day functioning, challenges to social inclusion and uncertainty were compared across illnesses to identify similarities and differences. We reported findings as a narrative summation. Forty-seven articles were included in this review. The comparison of the three chronic illnesses demonstrated that some of the symptoms/impairments such as pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, stress, and anxiety were reported commonly across illnesses. Similarly, difficulty with day to day functioning, challenges to social inclusion and uncertainty were reported across illnesses. On the other hand, factors influencing the symptoms, difficulties in daily functioning, challenges to social inclusion and uncertainty were found to be different. The episodic nature of the illness was identified among the three chronic conditions. People living with FM or MS or HIV, experience some common dimensions of disability that may be similarly experienced as episodic in nature. These similarities may not be exclusive to these three chronic illnesses, but could apply to individuals living with other chronic and episodic illnesses. Pursuing ways to enhance rehabilitation services among the conditions that experience similar episodic disability may help collectively to address disability and improve the overall health of people living with chronic illnesses.

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Background: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) distal radius fracture (DRF) clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are readily available to clinicians, patients, and policymakers. International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) provides a framework for describing the impact of health conditions. The International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision (ICD-10) is a classification system to classify health conditions as specific disease or disorders. The aim of this study is to analyze and describe the scope and focus of the AAOS DRF CPG using the ICF and ICD-10 as a basis for content analysis, and to compare the content of the CPG with the ICF hand core sets as the reference standard. Methods: Established linking rules were used by 2 independent raters to analyze the 29 recommendations of the AAOS DRF CPG. ICD-10 codes were assigned in the same process. Summary linkage statistics were used to describe the results for ICF and the hand core sets. Results: Among the 29 recommendations of the AAOS DRF CPG, 5 meaningful concepts were linked to the ICF codes. Of these, 5 codes appeared on the comprehensive ICF core set and only 3 codes appeared in the brief ICF core set, and 7 conditions were covered in ICD-10 codes. Conclusions: The AAOS DRF CPG focuses on surgical interventions and has minimal linkage to the constructs of the ICD-10 and ICF. It does not address activity or participation (disability), and is not well linked to key concepts relevant to hand conditions.

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Purpose: This study aimed to understand how immigrant South Asian women living with HIV in Canada develop resilience and to identify their selfmanagement strategies. These strategies could be used by marginalised women and can be supported by health providers. Method:The study participants were eight South Asian women with HIV, living in Ontario, Canada. The women belonged to an urban HIV community organisation. Qualitative methods were used to investigate their experiences. Indepth face-to-face interviews were conducted, utilising a photo/object elicitation technique, to identify the strategies used to develop resilience. Results:The women were primarily in mid-adulthood (age range 39-60 years) and had lived for many years with HIV (range 8-25 years). Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed three themes characterising strategies for resilience: identifying the need for self-care, maintaining social connectivity, and remaining optimistic. Conclusion and Implications:With these strategies, the women had cultivated strength and perseverance in adjusting to adversity. Viewing the resilience of South Asian immigrant women living with HIV through a cultural lens could help to understand and facilitate the development of culturally acceptable selfmanagement strategies.