Article

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
(ICF) has proven to be a valuable framework for vocational rehabilitation (VR).
No reliable and valid ICF-based instruments to capture work functioning is known,
hence, the aims of this study were: (1) to outline the process for developing an
ICF-based questionnaire, the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ) to assess
functioning in VR and (2) to report preliminary psychometric evidence. METHODS:
ICF categories were selected from the ICF Core Sets for VR using explorative
Rasch-analysis and VR literature review. Questions were worded to assess
identified ICF categories. WORQ was translated from English to German.
Psychometrics for the German version of WORQ was examined in one VR centre in
Switzerland. RESULTS: 44 ICF categories were selected which resulted in 36
questions related to functioning. The psychometric evaluation of WORQ showed high
test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation 0.79) (n = 53) and good internal
consistency (Cronbachs Alpha 0.88) (n = 74) WORQ showed moderate correlation with
Beck Depression Inventory II (Spearman correlation 0.511) and low correlation
(Spearman correlation -0.353) with SF-36. CONCLUSIONS: WORQ appears to be a
reliable, ICF-based questionnaire to evaluate functioning in VR, easy to
administer by health or vocational professionals. The additional information
gained when using WORQ would contribute to improving interdisciplinary
understanding of the patient's situation and therefore support the integrative
planning of the return-to-work process or engagement in gainful employment.
However, further studies are needed to further examine its use in clinical
practice and research, when validated in other patient populations and settings.

Langue : ANGLAIS