The use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to classify the degree of deficiency in victims of traffic accidents by motorcycles

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, traffic accidents are one of the most important public health problems. Although the magnitude of the morbidity and mortality of these events is well established, little is known about their consequences. To better understand the disabilities and standardize a language on them the World Health Organization developed the ICF. The aim of the study was to analyze simultaneously the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems (ICD-10), focusing the injury resulting from traffic accidents, with the components of ICF, related to qualification of disability, structure and function of the body.  

METHODS: This is an exploratory, prospective study with 49 patients in a rehabilitation unit, victims of motorcycle accident; deficiencies function and body structure were identified from analysis of physical therapy and coded according to the health dimensions of the ICF. Data regarding injury were coded by ICD-10.  

RESULTS: It was found a mean number of 2.3 lesions per individual. The lesions on the lower limbs and upper limbs appeared in greater percentage: 41% and 37% respectively. There was a wide gradation of impairment of the structures of the body injured, with a predominance of fractures (57%) and multiple trauma (14%). The main functional deficiencies were related to muscle strength (94%), joint mobility (92%) and pain (84%). Concerning the degree of these deficiencies, severe (30%) or complete (44%) lesions predominated. As regards the structure of the body, high percentages of severe or complete impairment occurred among the victims who had fractures (83%) and polytrauma injuries (80%). 

CONCLUSIONS: The use of ICF has highlighted aspects that ICD-10 does not show and the concomitant analysis of these two instruments resulted in important information, evidencing that such complementarity extends and improves the measure of the health status of individuals.