Critical review of disability measures: conceptual developments.
The development of outcome measures of disability is an important focus in physical therapy research. This paper reviews the content of functional status/disability measures developed between 1950 to 1989 to ascertain trends in disability measurement. Content analysis reveals that measures have followed three predominant patterns: a self care to a functional focus, a physical to a psychosocial focus, and a clinician to a client focus. These patterns related issues are discussed. The development of physical therapy measures requires the consideration of various perspectives, including the consumer perspective. Physical therapy measures must reflect a perspective which integrates physical capacity, physical function and environmental concerns.
Royal Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre, Ontario.
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Kidd
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Yoshida
D002170:Canada; D003210:Concept Formation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012648:Self Care; D012951:Socialization