Assessment of functioning in patients with head and neck cancer according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF): A multicenter study

Abstract

The ICF identifies problems in functioning in patients with HNC comprehensively. The results emphasize the importance of contextual environmental factors. In particular, environmental factors referring to interpersonal support should be more strongly included in rehabilitation plans for HNC.

Graphical modeling can be used to illustrate associations between variables describing functioning in head and neck cancer patients

“…Therefore, we used a graphical model established by Strobl et al [14] on a data set of an empirical cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 145 HNC patients [16]. Although the results showed mostly meaningful associations between the different second-level ICF categories, there are a few points that should be discussed when using this model.…”

“…Data from a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 145 patients with HNC was used for graphical modeling [16]. The study took place in nine study centers in Greece, Germany, Poland, and Turkey and was part of the development of ICF Core Sets for Head and Neck Cancer.…”

Functional outcome in patients with advanced head and neck cancer: surgery and reconstruction with free flaps versus primary radiochemotherapy

“…The ICF Core Sets can also be used as a common language to compare outcome parameters in HNC treatment [22]. They were developed in a formal decision-making, multidisciplinary and international process integrating evidence gathered from preparatory studies [23][24][25][26]. The Core Sets for head and neck cancer exist in two formats: (1) The comprehensive ICF Core Set for HNC with n = 112 categories (ICF-HNC) was created to guide multidisciplinary cooperation, international multicenter studies and to orchestra further research.…”

Development of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a brief head and neck cancer patient questionnaire

“…While the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for HNC should include the full spectrum of problems in functioning patients, the Brief ICF Core Set aims to include only the most important categories across countries and health professions. A first version of the ICF Core Set for HNC was created using an international and multi-disciplinary consensus process 2,6,11,12,[21][22][23][24][25][26]29 . The Comprehensive ICF Core Set for HNC has 112 categories and from this a much smaller subset with 19 categories was proposed: the Brief ICF Core Set ( Table 1).…”