A Brazilian experience to describe functioning and disability profiles provided by combined use of ICD and ICF in chronic stroke patients at home-care.

Purpose: To present experience of combined use of the International Classifications to determine functioning and disability profiles of chronic stroke patients at home-care.

Methods: It was a design observational study with 13 subjects sampled from 39 patients with stroke pre-selected from 115 patients attended by a public home-care service. Their socio-demographic and others independent variables were assessed and frequencies of codified events from International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) were recorded.

Results: Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases; diseases of the nervous and circulatory system; diseases of skin and subcutaneous tissue and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue were recorded by ICD being complemented by ICF mainly describing impairments in neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related function and structure; limitations in activities and participation for domestic life and barriers for natural environment and human-made changes to environment. Moreover, it was observed functioning profile describing sensory function and structures related to movements preserved; good interpersonal interactions and facilities provided by services and policies.

Conclusion: Preserved functions and structures related to movement and advantages in interpersonal interactions, public services and healthy policies could be used to guide therapy and to prevent rehospitalisation commonly observed in chronic stroke survivals.