Identification of relevant International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) categories in patients with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: a Delphi exercise

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the most typical and relevant categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for patients with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Methods: Based on the Delphi technique an expert survey through e-mail was performed among health professionals’ specialists in the 22q11.2DS. Data were collected in 2 rounds. Answers were analysed for the degree of consensus. Results: 7 Experts recruited through e-mail distribution lists of professional organizations and personal networks participated in the study. Categories in all ICF components that were considered typical and/or relevant by at least 80% of the responders were added to a pilot ICF instrument for children with 22q11.2DS, with a total of 145 ICF categories. Conclusion: a list of ICF categories that are considered relevant and typical for 22q11.2DS condition by international experts was created. This is an important step towards identifying ICF Core Sets for chronic paediatric conditions in Brazil.