title: Do ICF core sets for low back pain include patients' self-reported activity limitations because of back problems?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate content validity of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for low back pain (LBP), by examining whether common activities reported as difficult to perform are included in the Core Sets.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was used. Ninety-eight patients with long-lasting back pain (>3 months) between 18 and 65 years of age were consecutively recruited from a Multidisciplinary Outpatient Spine Clinic. Difficulties with daily life and work task activities because of back pain were examined by asking the patients two questions: 1) can you specify activities that are difficult to perform because of your back pain? and 2) are there specific work tasks that you are unable to do because of your back pain? Two raters independently classified the written responses according to the ICF Core Sets' component Activities and Participation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Activities and work tasks were linked to 15 of 29 categories (52%) in the Comprehensive Core Set, and 9 of 12 (75%) in the Brief Core Set, and the initial agreement between the two raters in coding the answers according to the Core Sets was (83%, k = 0.80) and (93%, k = 0.9), respectively, before consensus was reached.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Comprehensive Core Set for LBP to a large degree contains daily life and work-related activities frequently reported as difficult to perform by patients with long-lasting LBP. The categories, however, are very broad and do not provide specified descriptions of the most frequently reported activity limitations such as sitting, standing and walking. The Brief Core Set does not include categories for frequently reported activities such as pulling/pushing and leisure/recreation activities. ICF Core Sets for LBP seem suitable for obtaining a gross overview of the patients' functional limitations, but do not give sufficient information from a therapeutic point of view.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational therapy, Physiotherapy and Radiography, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bergen University College, Bergen, Norway; Department of Physiotherapy, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Hildegunn
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lygren
authors.forename: Liv Inger
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Liv Heide
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Magnussen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D064702:International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000145:classification* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ICF Core Sets; activities; back pain