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The International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) was approved in 2001 and, since then, several studies reported the increased interest about its use in different sectors. A recent overview that summarizes its applications is lacking. This study aims to provide an updated overview about 20 years of ICF application through an international online questionnaire, developed by the byline authors, and sent to each World Health Organization Collaborating Centers of the Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC CCs). Data was collected during October 2020 and December 2021 and descriptive content analyses were used to report main results. Results show how, in most of the respondent countries represented by WHO-FIC CCs, ICF was mainly used in clinical practice, policy development and social policy, and in education areas. Despite its applications in different sectors, ICF use is not mandatory in most countries but, where used, it provides a biopsychosocial framework for policy development in health, functioning and disability. The study provides information about the needs related to ICF applications, that can be useful to organize targeted intervention plans. Furthermore, this survey methodology can be re-proposed periodically to monitor the use of the ICF in the future.

Mutations in CDCA7, the SNF2 family protein HELLS (LSH), or the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3b cause immunodeficiency–centromeric instability–facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome. While it has been speculated that DNA methylation defects cause this disease, little is known about the molecular function of CDCA7 and its functional relationship to HELLS and DNMT3b. Systematic analysis of how the cell cycle, H3K9 methylation, and the mitotic kinase Aurora B affect proteomic profiles of chromatin in Xenopus egg extracts revealed that HELLS and CDCA7 form a stoichiometric complex on chromatin, in a manner sensitive to Aurora B. Although HELLS alone fails to remodel nucleosomes, we demonstrate that the HELLS–CDCA7 complex possesses nucleosome remodeling activity. Furthermore, CDCA7 is essential for loading HELLS onto chromatin, and CDCA7 harboring patient ICF mutations fails to recruit the complex to chromatin. Together, our study identifies a unique bipartite nucleosome remodeling complex where the functional remodeling activity is split between two proteins and thus delineates the defective pathway in ICF syndrome.

In May 2001, to integrate biological, psychological, and social aspects of human functioning, the World Health Assembly endorsed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The aim of this article is to describe the creation of Comprehensive and Brief ICF Core Sets for Hearing Loss. The core sets consist of the most relevant ICF categories for hearing loss. Four preparatory studies were carried out and presented at a consensus conference, resulting in a Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Hearing Loss, consisting of 117 ICF categories, and a Brief ICF Core Set for Hearing Loss, consisting of 27 categories (of the 117). The Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Hearing Loss can be a user-friendly tool for conducting comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessments. The Brief ICF Core Set can be used for many purposes, such as research and population studies. However, its most common use is by individuals seeking to provide a brief description and assessment of functioning of a person with hearing loss.

Background: The comprehensive ICF Core Set for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a selection of 96 categories from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), representing relevant aspects in the functioning of RA patients. Objectives: To study the reliability of the ICF Core Set for RA in rheumatological practice, and to explore the metric of the qualifiers’ scale. Methods: 25 RA patients from an outpatient department of rheumatology were interviewed using the ICF Core Set for RA (76% females, mean (SD) age 57.5 (12.5) years, disease duration 15.9 (14.6) years). Interviews were performed independently by both a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist on the same day and again after one week by one of them. The severity of the patients’ problems was quantified on a qualifier scale ranging from 0 (no problem) to 4 (complete problem). Analyses of intra-rater and inter-rater agreement, kappa statistics, and Rasch analyses were applied. Results: Mean intra-rater (inter-rater) complete agreement for all categories was seen in 59% (47%) of observations, ranging from 29% (0%) to 96% (80%) for individual categories. Weighted kappa statistics with value ⩾0.4 showed reliability in 86% of categories within raters, and in 43% of categories between raters. Improved inter-rater and intra-rater reliability was observed with a reduced number of qualifiers for the categories. Conclusions: Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the ICF Core Set of RA was low to moderate. The metric of the qualifiers’ scale may be improved by reducing the number of qualifiers to three for all components.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standard for assessing individual functioning. Over the last decade, the ICF has been made more accessible for autism and ADHD through the development and validation of tailored shorter ICF versions for these diagnoses, ICF Core Sets. To further enhance their applicability in research and practice, these Core Sets have been operationalized and implemented on an online platform, the ICF CoreSets platform. Here, we describe the iterative development process of the CoreSets platform. This multiple-methods study examines user feedback on the operationalization of the Core Sets and the feasibility of the CoreSets platform as a functional assessment for autism and ADHD. We collected a total of 678 assessments from the CoreSets platform. Individuals diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD, their relatives, participants from the general population, and professionals completed and provided feedback on the usability of the CoreSets platform. Qualitative feedback via interviews and focus groups were also collected. Qualitative data were analysed via content analysis, while quantitative data were examined using univariate and descriptive techniques. Findings show that the ICF CoreSets platform is feasible and user-friendly, but areas for improvement were also indicated, leading to additional refinement of the operationalization and platform. The operationalization of the ICF Core Sets and their implementation in the CoreSets platform appears adequate for use in research and practice, particularly after revisions indicated by future users, and is now ready for psychometric standardization.

Background The number of older people with unmet care and support needs is increasing substantially due to the challenges facing the formal and informal care system in the United Kingdom. Addressing these unmet needs is becoming one of the urgent public health priorities. In order to develop effective solutions to address some of these needs, it is important first to understand the care and support needs of older people. Methods A scoping review was conducted, using the Arksey and O’Malley original and enhanced framework, to understand the care and support needs of older people, focusing on those living at home with chronic conditions in the UK. The search was conducted using five electronic data bases, grey literature and reference list checks. The WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework was used to analyse and categorise the literature findings. Results Forty studies were included in the final analysis- 32 from academic literature and 8 from grey literature. The review highlighted that older adults faced a range of physical, social and psychological challenges due to living with chronic conditions and required care and support in three main areas: 1) social activities and relationships; 2) psychological health; and 3) activities related to mobility, self-care and domestic life. The review also highlighted that many older people demonstrated a desire to cope with their illness and maintain independence, however, environmental factors interfered with these efforts including: 1) lack of professional advice on self-care strategies; 2) poor communication and coordination of services; and 3) lack of information on services such as care pathways. A gap in the knowledge was also identified about the care and support needs of two groups within the older population: 1) older workers; and 2) older carers. Conclusions The review highlighted that older people living with chronic conditions have unmet care needs related to their physical and psychological health, social life, as well as the environment in which they live and interact. Findings of this review also emphasized the importance of developing care models and support services based around the needs of older people.

Purpose Lymphedema is a debilitating condition that significantly affects patient’s quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcomes after lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) for extremity lymphedema. Methods A single-center prospective study on upper and lower extremity lymphedema patients was performed. All LVA procedures were preceded by outpatient Indocyanine Green (ICG) lymphography. Quality of life measured by the Lymph-ICF was the primary outcome. Limb circumference, use of compression garments, and frequency of cellulitis episodes and manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) sessions were secondary outcomes. Results One hundred consecutive patients, predominantly experiencing upper extremity lymphedema following breast cancer ( n  = 85), underwent a total of 132 LVAs. During a mean follow-up of 25 months, mean Lymph-ICF score significantly decreased from 43.9 preoperative to 30.6 postoperative, representing significant QoL improvement. Decrease in upper and lower limb circumference was observed in 52% of patients with a mean decrease of 6%. Overall mean circumference was not significantly different. Percentage of patients that could reduce compression garments in the upper and lower extremity group was 65% and 40%, respectively. Number of cellulitis episodes per year and MLD sessions per week showed a mean decrease of respectively 0.6 and 0.8 in the upper extremity and 0.4 and 1.0 in the lower extremity group. Conclusions LVA resulted in significant QoL improvement in upper and lower extremity lymphedema patients. Limb circumference did not significantly improve but good results concerning compression garments, cellulitis episodes, and MLD sessions were obtained. Additionally, a simple and patient-friendly method for outpatient ICG lymphography is presented.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) unfavorably affects working capacity. The Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for MS (cICF-MS), issued by the World Health Organization, has not yet been extended to evaluate working capacity level (WCL). To evaluate the relative importance of cICF-MS categories in relation to WCL. Persons with MS (PwMS), N  = 129, who had been referred to Lithuania’s Disability and Working Capacity Assessment Office for WCL determination, were divided into three groups according to the percentage of remaining WCL (WCL1 had 0–25%, WCL2 had 30–40%, and WCL3 had 45–55%). Data regarding the cICF-MS categories were collected through telephone interviews and patient documentation. Using the fractional ranking method, the mean values of cICF-MS impairment were ranked from the most severely affected to the least affected (rank 1–93). Ranks with the 10 highest mean values of impairment severity in each WCL group were included in a descriptive analysis. In the WCL1 and WCL2 groups, the most-affected cICF-MS categories reflected disability related to gait and motor function. The WCL3 group presented with pain, fatigue, and impairments to visual acuity, psychic stability, urination, and memory. This study has identified specific cICF-MS impairment profiles based on remaining WCL.

(1) Background: In recent years, reviewing studies of aquatic activities for children with developmental delays has been a complex task due to the multitude of indices and professional languages. (2) Aim: To determine if the ICF-CY framework can be used as the unifying language in AA studies of children with DD. (3) Methods: Part One—A systematic review of selected studies focusing on goals that were found to be positive. These goals were linked to the ICF-CY categories. Part Two—Review of all studies using the ICF-CY’s functioning components. (4) Results: Most of the positive goals were properly linked to ICF-CY and made it possible to review the 71 articles in a uniform language. (5) Conclusions: It is feasible to use the ICF framework as a universal structure and language.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, early outcome studies indicate severe and pervasive global effects of the pandemic and associated measures to prevent the spread of the virus. General population studies, as well as insight into the outcomes for particular groups, will be necessary in order to mitigate potentially long-term effects as well as to prepare for future epidemics or pandemics. The pandemic conditions have been marked by rapid and abrupt changes and unpredictability which are circumstances that leave the autistic population particularly vulnerable to adverse outcomes following the distinctive features of the diagnosis. Studies are only beginning to delineate the outcomes of the global autism community and the present study adds to these findings by providing a local, multi-perspective, qualitative analysis of the lived experiences of the Swedish autism community. In this study, autistic youth and adults, caregivers of autistic individuals, as well as representatives of Swedish interest organizations were interviewed. Thematic analysis was performed on the population as a whole and patterns of results were formalized according to the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF-CY). Participants report wide-ranging adverse outcomes of the pandemic relating to mental health and access to support, participation in daily activities and socialization, education, and work as well as parental resources. However, participants also report positive outcomes relating to a reduction in specific social and everyday demands, and normalization of lived experiences. Additionally, interviews outlined some strategies used to cope during pandemic conditions. Implications of these findings are discussed.