Development of simple descriptions of the ICF Generic-30 Set in different languages: laying the foundation for an ICF-based clinical tool for Europe.

BACKGROUND: Functioning is considered a third indicator of health and a key outcome in rehabilitation. A universal practical tool for collecting functioning information is essential. This tool would be ideally based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. AIM: To report the results of the development of country/language-specific versions of an ICF-based clinical tool in six European countries. DESIGN: Consensus process. SETTING: Expert conferences. POPULATION: Multi-professional group of rehabilitation professionals in six European countries. METHODS: 1) Developed an initial proposal by translating the published English-language version of the simple descriptions into the targeted language; 2) conducted a multi-stage consensus conference to finalize the descriptions; 3) employed a three-stage multi-professional expert panel translation back to English. The consensus conference model was modified for geographically large countries. RESULTS: Croatian, Flemish/Dutch, Greek, Polish, and Turkish versions were produced. CONCLUSIONS: The creation of the country/language-specific simple descriptions is a significant part of the "system-wide implementation of the ICF" initiative that will pave the way for the implementation of the ICF in national health systems. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The practical ICF-based clinical tool with country/language specific versions for standardized reporting of functioning will serve as a means of integrating functioning information in national health systems and additionally for monitoring the effects of rehabilitation interventions.

The correlation of specific medication groups and falls risk in elderly. A medication logbook survey.

Falls among elderly are a common and major public health problem. Even though most falls do not lead to injury, they threaten the independence of older people causing functional decline in activities of daily living (ADLs) with substantial socioeconomic consequences. According to current literature several risk factors have been identified. Falls rarely have a single cause and the majority of them are due to a complex interaction of the age-related changes, the underlying medical condition and the medications. Some medications due to their side effects are usually called fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). We conducted a retrospective, multicentre, observational chart review study of elderly aged over 60, which aims to reveal any correlation between specific groups of medications given for the most common diseases, and falls in elderly. The sample consists of 827 participants. The data were collected by using a medication logbook which includes information about sex, age, residency, underlying diseases and the corresponding medications, incidents of fall during the last 2 years and possible fracture as a consequence of the fall.