Assessment of the external construct validity of the Brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Core Set for chronic ischemic heart disease in a Turkish population.

Objectives: This study aimed to validate the Brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Core Set for chronic ischemic heart disease (CIHD) in a Turkish patient population, identifying the most common problems in ICF categories and testing its construct validity.

Patients and methods: A total of 85 patients (28 males, 57 females; mean age: 64.4±12.2 years; range, 37 to 88 years) diagnosed with CIHD who were referred to our cardiac rehabilitation outpatient clinic were included in the cross-sectional study between February 2014 and August 2015. Brief ICF Core Set for CIHD, which includes 36 second-level categories, was used to assess the most common impairments. Correlations between these impairments and various clinical assessment scales were analyzed to test construct validity.

Results: The most impaired categories in body functions were heart functions, blood pressure functions, exercise tolerance functions, blood vessel functions, sensations associated with cardiovascular and respiratory functions, and energy and drive functions. In the body structure component, the structure of the cardiovascular system was identified as a problem in 97.6% of patients. The activities and participation component revealed that moving around, remunerative employment, and carrying out daily routines were frequently problematic. All of the environmental factors were identified as both barriers and facilitators. Significant correlations were found between these categories and various clinical assessment scales.

Conclusion: The Brief ICF Core Set for CIHD is a valid tool for assessing the multifaceted impact of CIHD in a Turkish patient population. This validation supports its use for comprehensive, patient-centered evaluations in clinical settings, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to managing CIHD.