Development and validation of the ICF-Incontinence Assessment Form (ICF-IAF) to identify problems and resources for planning and evaluation of interventions using the Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health of the World Health Organization: Preliminary study.

AIMS: Current level-A recommended questionnaires that provide a valid assessment of urinary incontinence (UI) and/or faecal incontinence (FI), but do not cover all aspects of the burden of the disease in the sense of the bio-psycho-social model of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Therefore, an ICF oriented questionnaire for patients with UI and/or FI to assess treatment barriers (problems) as well as positive influencing factors (resources), the "ICF-Incontinence Assessment Form" will be developed. The aim of this preliminary study was (a) to identify problems and resources of UI and/or FI in current level-A recommended questionnaires and (b) to evaluate problems and resources of patients with UI and/or FI from the perspective of experienced physiotherapists.

METHODS: (a) Current level-A recommended questionnaires for UI and/or FI were analyzed. Questions were linked to the ICF categories. (b) A 3-round Delphi technique survey among 262 physiotherapists from five German-speaking countries was used to evaluate patients' problems and resources relevant to physiotherapy.

RESULTS: (a) A total of 27 identified questionnaires were linked to 110 ICF categories. No positive influencing factors could be identified. (b) After Delphi-round 3, 110 categories of problems and 71 resources were identified.

CONCLUSION: Since there is a lack of resource items in the present validated questionnaires, there is a need for a short, practical questionnaire to assess and monitor both, problems and resources of patients with UI and/or FI.