Objectives: To assess the level of functioning in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) using the the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).
Methods: Multicenter study at nine different study centers in four European countries. Data collection included structured interviews according to the extended ICF checklist with 145 HNC patients and completion of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ). The generic ICF checklist was extended by additional HNC-specific categories identified in six HNC-specific questionnaires: EORTC, University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale (FACT), Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck cancer patients (PSS-HN), Head and Neck Quality of Life instrument (HN-QOL), and Voice Handicap Index (VHI). The ICF qualifier system was applied on a scale from 0 (not impaired) to 4 (completely impaired), as well as "ns, na" (not specified, not applicable) and "c" (impaired due to comorbidity). ICF categories impaired due to HNC (1-4) in > or = 10% of patients were reported.
Results: One hundred fifteen (80%) of 144 categories of the extended ICF checklist were identified to be at least mildly impaired or restricted in > or = 10% of patients. The four areas that were relevant to most of the patients were "immediate family" (91%), "friends" (86%), "health services and policies" (85%) and "health professionals" (85%), all belonging to the ICF component of environmental factors. The most often identified categories were "ingestion" (75%) for body functions and "speaking" (76%) for activities and participation. The summary score of all answers correlated well with the overall level of health and quality of life as assessed in the EORTC questionnaires (0.59, 0.61, respectively).
Conclusions: The ICF identifies problems in functioning in patients with HNC comprehensively. The results emphasize the importance of contextual environmental factors. In particular, environmental factors referring to interpersonal support should be more strongly included in rehabilitation plans for HNC.