The Brazilian version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) is reliable and valid for chronic stroke survivors.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Assessing stroke's impact on patients' daily activities and social participation can provide important complementary information to their rehabilitation process. However, no previous study had been conducted on the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) in the stroke population. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the internal consistency, test-retest and inter-rater reliability, convergent validity and floor/ceiling effect of the Brazilian version of the WHODAS 2.0 in individuals after chronic stroke. METHODS: Two examiners interviewed 53 chronic stroke individuals who responded to the Brazilian 36-item version of the WHODAS 2.0 three times to analyze test-retest and inter-rater reliabilities. Floor/ceiling effects were calculated as relative frequencies of the lowest or the highest possible WHODAS 2.0 scores. Participants also responded to the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 (SIS 3.0) and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to analyze convergent validity. RESULTS: The internal consistency analyses for domains of WHODAS showed a strong correlation among the items of each domain (0.76-0.91) except for the "getting along" domain, which presented a moderate correlation (ρ = 0,62). Total scores of WHODAS 2.0 showed satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.93), good inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.85), excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92) and no significant floor/ceiling effect. Convergent validity indicated moderate to strong correlations (ρ=-0.51 to ρ=-0.88; p < 0.001), with the highest values associated with the correlation with the SIS scale. CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the WHODAS 2.0 instrument presented evidence of reliability and validity for chronic post-stroke individuals.

Promoting diversity and overcoming publication barriers in Latin American neuroscience and Alzheimer's disease research: A call to action.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a global health issue. Because AD is a condition demanding effective management, its socioeconomic burden is immense and threatens the health systems of both low- and middle-income (LMIC) and high-income (HIC) countries. However, while most of the HICs are increasing their budget for AD research, the situation is different in LMICs, and resources are scarce. In addition, LMIC researchers face significant barriers to publishing in international peer reviewed journals, including funding constraints; language barriers; and in many cases, high article processing charges. In this perspective, we discuss these disparities and propose some actions that could help promote diversity, and ultimately translate into improved AD research capacity in LMICs, especially in Latin American and Caribbean countries. HIGHLIGHTS: Researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) face increasing difficulties such as financial constraints, language barriers, and article processing charges.Publication fees, in particular, can be a significant barrier in the process of publication and equal access to scientific information.Publication fee equalization initiatives by publishing companies could reduce the scientific inequality that disadvantages researchers in LMICs.

Biopsychosocial Model Domains in Clinical Practice Guidelines for Return to Sport After ACL Injury: Systematic Review Using the AGREE II Checklist.

CONTEXT: The current status of return-to-sport (RTS) criteria can be understood from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), which emphasizes an individual-centered approach and inclusion of all domains of human functioning, and ensures the multifactorial and biopsychosocial nature of decision-making. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the inclusion of biopsychosocial model domains in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for RTS after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, as well as the quality of these CPGs. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of CPGs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1. SEARCH STRATEGY: Two independent reviewers developed the search strategy, and a third reviewer corrected and compiled the developed strategies used. DATA SOURCES: Ovid/Medline, Embase, and PEDro without restriction dates. STUDY SELECTION: CPGs for RTS after ACL injury at any age or sport level, and published in English. DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers codified the RTS criteria recommended in the CPGs according to the ICF domains, and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II Checklist) was used for critical appraisal. RESULTS: A total of 715 records were identified, and 7 CPGs were included. Frequency distribution of the biopsychosocial model domains was as follows: body functions (37.77%), activity and participation (20.00%), body structure (13.33%), environmental factors (11.11%), and personal factors (8.88%). In the AGREE II Checklist, the lowest mean domain scores were for rigor of development (37.86 ± 36.35) and applicability (49.29 ± 22.30), and 71.42% were of low or moderate quality. CONCLUSION: The CPGs cannot address the biopsychosocial model domains satisfactorily and some do not address all the ICF conceptual model components, emphasizing body functions and activity and participation domains. Therefore, the functioning model advocated by the World Health Organization has not yet been adequately incorporated into the recommendations for RTS after ACL injury. Moreover, most CPGs are of limited quality.

Factors related to self-rated quality of life among women with fibromyalgia according to International Classification of Functioning / Fatores relacionados a qualidade de vida autorrelatada em mulheres com fibromialgia de acordo com a Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Fibromyalgia is characterized by diffuse pain, which may compromise the self-rated quality of life (SRQoL). Little is known about the influence of psychosocial and environmental factors on SRQoL in women with fibromyalgia. The objective was to investigate factors related to SRQol among women with fibromyalgia, according to International Classification of Functioning domain. METHODS A cross-sectional population-based study was performed with 1,557 women. Those who self-reported fibromyalgia answered the Fibromyalgia Impact Index. SRQoL was evaluated by questions ranging from 1 (unsatisfied) to 3 (very satisfied). Exposures included personal and environmental factors distributed in four blocks according to hypothesized influence on outcome. Multiple linear regression was performed, considering 95% of confidence interval, using IBM SPSS version 24. RESULTS Income sufficiency was related to higher SRQoL in model 1. Physical environment was related to SRQoL in model 2, 3 and 4. Functional capacity measurement was related to SRQoL in model 4. In the final model, only depressive symptoms (ß:-0.374; CI: -0.037/ -0.004) and number of painful body areas (ß: 0.204; CI: -0.102/-0.001) remained significantly related to SRQoL, explaining 27% of the variance. CONCLUSION SRQoL was related to depressive symptoms and number of painful body areas even after controlled by socioeconomic, environment and health status. However, other aspects may mediate or moderate that outcome, deserving attention in a biopsychosocial approach. The results highlighted the relevance of biopsychosocial aspects on quality of life of women with fibromyalgia, addressing factors that could be approached in clinical practice to promote health and well-being.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS Fibromialgia é caracterizada por dor difusa, que pode comprometer a qualidade de vida autorrelatada (QVAR). Sabe-se pouco sobre a influência de fatores psicossociais e ambientais na QVAR em mulheres com fibromialgia. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar fatores relacionados à QVAR entre mulheres com fibromialgia, segundo o domínio da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade. MÉTODOS Estudo transversal de base populacional realizado com 1.557 mulheres. Aquelas que se autorrelataram com fibromialgia responderam ao Índice de Impacto da Fibromialgia (n=115). A QVAR foi avaliada por questões que variavam de 1 (insatisfeita) a 3 (muito satisfeita). As exposições incluíram fatores pessoais e ambientais distribuídos em quatro blocos de acordo com a influência hipotética no desfecho. Foi realizada regressão linear múltipla, considerando 95% do intervalo de confiança, utilizando-se a versão 24 do IBM SPSS. RESULTADOS Suficiência de renda foi relacionada à maior QVAR no modelo 1. Ambiente físico estava relacionado à QVAR nos modelos 2, 3 e 4. Medição da capacidade funcional esteve relacionada à QVAR no modelo 4. Apenas sintomas depressivos (ß:-0,374; IC: -0,037/ -0,004) e número de áreas corporais dolorosas (ß: 0,204; IC: -0,102/-0,001) mantiveram-se significativamente relacionado à QVAR, explicando 27% da variância. CONCLUSÃO QVAR esteve relacionada a sintomas depressivos e número de áreas corporais dolorosas mesmo depois de controlada por condição socioeconômica, ambiental e saúde. Outros aspectos podem mediar esse desfecho, merecendo atenção na abordagem biopsicossocial. Os resultados destacaram relevância dos aspectos biopsicossociais na qualidade de vida das mulheres com fibromialgia, recorrendo a fatores que poderiam ser abordados na prática clínica para promover saúde e bem-estar.

Are the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains considered in the obstructive sleep apnea instruments? An integrative review.

PURPOSE: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is related to cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurocognitive diseases. Furthermore, OSA symptoms, such as excessive sleepiness, fatigue, and mood disorders, may interfere in functioning. The assessment of this aspect in patients with OSA is not frequent and no specific instrument is available in the literature. Our aim is to identify if the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains are considered in the validated instruments used to assess patients with OSA. METHODS: In this integrative literature review, three databases were searched: Pubmed, Embase, and LILACS. Bibliographic survey was carried out in 2020, between March and July. Articles published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish with validated tools to assess OSA in adults were included. RESULTS: Thirty instruments have undergone a process of concept extraction and coding according to the ICF, generating a total of 769 significant concepts. It was observed that the function domain was the most prevalent, making 42% (n = 323) of the concepts, followed by domains of activity (16%), participation (10%), environmental factors (5%), personal factor (5%), and structure (1%). Only one instrument, the "Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index (SAQLI)," encompasses all domains of the ICF in its constructs. CONCLUSION: In the analyzed instruments, the function domain prevails, with most concepts related to sleep functions. Only one validated instrument included in this research covered all the ICF domains. This instrument closely matched the recommended way of assessing functioning, though it approached the domains in an unbalanced way.

Is Constipation Associated with Worse Functioning in Adult Women? A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between intestinal constipation and functioning in adult women living in a municipality in the interior of northeast Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 195 adult women in the city of Santa Cruz-RN. Constipation was diagnosed using the Rome III criteria. Functioning was measured through WHODAS 2.0. Social conditions, habits and lifestyle were also investigated. Inferential analysis was performed using the chi-squared test and the Mann-Whitney U-test, and the effect size was determined by eta squared (η2). Multivariate analysis was performed using multiple linear regression to analyze the relationship between the WHODAS total score and constipation, being adjusted by covariates with p≤0.20 in the bivariate. A statistical significance level of p<0.05 was considered. RESULTS: Most of the participants in this study were aged 19 to 39 years (69.7%) and had an income of up to 1 minimum monthly salary (79.5%). WHODAS scores showed that women with constipation had more disability in the cognitive (p <0.001), mobility (p <0.002), self-care (p <0.001), and participation (p <0.001) domains, as well as the total score (p <0.001). After multiple linear regression analysis, the total WHODAS score remained associated with constipation (p <0.001), in which this condition increases the score by nine points. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that there is a reduction in functioning associated with the presence of constipation in adult women, mainly affecting the cognition, mobility, self-care and participation domains, in addition to the total score.

Disability Among Adults in Brazil With a Colostomy: A Cross-sectional, Descriptive Study.

People with an ostomy need care appropriate to their needs and should be encouraged to adapt to their situation. In Brazil, persons with a stoma meet the legal definition of being disabled, enabling them to access comprehensive health care services. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the degree of disability experienced by persons with a colostomy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among people with a colostomy in one Brazilian public health service. Between May 2017 and January 2018, persons at least 18 years of age who had a colostomy for at least 3 months were eligible to participate. Sociodemographic and stoma characteristic variables were collected, and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 was used to assesses perceived levels of disability. Higher scores indicated greater degree of difficulty. All persons with a WHODAS score ⟩0 were classified as disabled. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared, and Fisher's exact tests were used for data analysis, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Among the 58 predominantly elderly participants (29 women, 29 men; mean age 64 ± 12 years), the overall mean WHODAS score suggested a small degree of impairment (3.1 ± 7.1). The highest scores were observed in the domains participation (6.3 ± 16.1), mobility (5.6 ± 17.3), and life activities (5.3 ± 15.6). The majority of participants (41, 70.7%) had a disability score of 0 (no disability). The proportion of persons who did or did not perceive any level of disability did not differ significantly by the stoma variables assessed. CONCLUSION: Based on the WHODAS scores, the majority of study participants did not perceive themselves as being physically disabled. Other clinical studies should advance this discussion in order to better understand the perception and reality of disability among ostomates.

Persons with disabilities, cancer screening and related factors.

The scope of this article is to describe persons with disabilities (PwD) being subjected to cancer screening and the relationship between some social variables and inequalities in performing these tests. A cross-sectional study of cancer screening among PwD was conducted in 2007 with 333 participants interviewed in residence in 4 cities of São Paulo. Variables in the practice of cancer screening, disabilities, gender, age, income of main family breadwinner, ethnicity, use of health services, assistance required, private health insurance, and coverage by the family health program were studied. Frequencies, χ²-test, trend χ² percentages and the Odds Ratios (OR) were used for data analysis. 44% of PwD attended at least one cancer screening at the appropriate time. Persons with visual disabilities and with hearing disabilities were subjected to more screening examinations than those with mobility disabilities and women were attended in screening exams more than men. Persons between the ages of 21 and 60 reported cancer screening more frequently than those between 80 and 97 years of age. The outcomes indicate that PwD have different attitudes toward cancer screening according to the type of disability, gender, and age, which were the variables that directly influenced cancer screening exams.