Biomaterial Database

Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of disability ratings based on the modified D Code of the ICIDH. 1990

J P van den Berg, and G J Lankhorst

Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands.

Since application of the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH) in its full form proved to be impractical, the use of selected parts, or of instruments based on the ICIDH, has been suggested. We have assessed the inter- and intra-rater reliability of disability ratings using a screening instrument, based on the D Code of the ICIDH. The level of functional abilities of all new patients (n = 39) seen by a resident at our outpatient clinic in an 11-week period was rated on a four-point scale for each of 28 items in five ability categories. Independent ratings were done by a resident and his supervisor (inter-rater reliability). Repeated rating by the resident was used to assess intra-rater reliability. Calculation of the inter- and intra-rater reliability was based both on the method of the relative agreement and on the measure kappa. The results showed relative agreements of greater than or equal to 82%, and kappa values of greater than or equal to 0.71 were found. This study shows that in a teaching hospital very satisfactory inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities using a short instrument based on the D Code of the ICIDH can be achieved. It can therefore be recommended as a method for global disability rating.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008403	Mass Screening	Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease.	Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D004185	Disability Evaluation	Determination of the degree of a physical, mental, or emotional handicap. The diagnosis is applied to legal qualification for benefits and income under disability insurance and to eligibility for Social Security and workmen's compensation benefits.	Disability Evaluations,Evaluation, Disability,Evaluations, Disability
D006233	Disabled Persons	Persons with physical or mental disabilities that affect or limit their activities of daily living and that may require special accommodations.	Handicapped,People with Disabilities,Persons with Disabilities,Physically Challenged,Physically Handicapped,Physically Disabled,Disabilities, People with,Disabilities, Persons with,Disability, Persons with,Disabled Person,Disabled, Physically,Handicapped, Physically,People with Disability,Person, Disabled,Persons with Disability,Persons, Disabled
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015588	Observer Variation	The failure by the observer to measure or identify a phenomenon accurately, which results in an error. Sources for this may be due to the observer's missing an abnormality, or to faulty technique resulting in incorrect test measurement, or to misinterpretation of the data. Two varieties are inter-observer variation (the amount observers vary from one another when reporting on the same material) and intra-observer variation (the amount one observer varies between observations when reporting more than once on the same material).	Bias, Observer,Interobserver Variation,Intraobserver Variation,Observer Bias,Inter-Observer Variability,Inter-Observer Variation,Interobserver Variability,Intra-Observer Variability,Intra-Observer Variation,Intraobserver Variability,Inter Observer Variability,Inter Observer Variation,Inter-Observer Variabilities,Inter-Observer Variations,Interobserver Variabilities,Interobserver Variations,Intra Observer Variability,Intra Observer Variation,Intra-Observer Variabilities,Intra-Observer Variations,Intraobserver Variabilities,Intraobserver Variations,Observer Variations,Variabilities, Inter-Observer,Variabilities, Interobserver,Variabilities, Intra-Observer,Variabilities, Intraobserver,Variability, Inter-Observer,Variability, Interobserver,Variability, Intra-Observer,Variability, Intraobserver,Variation, Inter-Observer,Variation, Interobserver,Variation, Intra-Observer,Variation, Intraobserver,Variation, Observer,Variations, Inter-Observer,Variations, Interobserver,Variations, Intra-Observer,Variations, Intraobserver,Variations, Observer