ICF Personal Factors Strengthen Commitment to Person-Centered Rehabilitation - A Scoping Review.
Maarit Karhula, Sari Saukkonen, Essi Xiong and 3 others
PMID 36188794WHAT IT FOUND
Researchers found that studies on the ICF framework use inconsistent definitions for personal factors, often confusing them with body functions or environmental factors.
This lack of standardization makes it difficult to document what truly drives a patient's engagement in rehabilitation.
Key findings
01Personal factors are frequently misclassified, with 31% of articles labeling body functions like pain or personality, or environmental factors like family support, as personal factors.
02The literature identifies three main roles for personal factors: supporting person-centered care, driving a patient's commitment to rehabilitation, and the need for better classification systems.
03Existing classifications cover many factors but miss others, and no single standardized list of personal factors is currently accepted in the ICF.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The scoping review method did not assess the quality or risk of bias of the included studies. The search was limited to four databases and articles published between 2010 and 2020, which may have missed relevant studies. The broad inclusion criteria meant that many studies did not focus primarily on personal factors, only mentioning them. The review does not provide a definitive answer on whether personal factors should be formally classified in the ICF.
Declared interests
The authors declared no commercial or financial conflicts of interest. The handling editor declared a past co-authorship with one of the authors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that personal factors are a standardized, universally agreed-upon component of the ICF. This review shows that researchers and clinicians often disagree on what counts as a personal factor, frequently mislabeling body functions and environmental factors as personal ones. Treat any list of personal factors as a guide for discussion, not a fixed diagnostic code.