Development of a grading instrument of functioning for Brazilian citizens: Brazilian Functioning Index - IF-Br

Abstract

The systems used for disability certification in Brazil vary according to the sectors. By recommendation from the Presidency of the Republic, an interministerial task force was organized in January 2011 to develop a single model evaluation and classification of disability to be used throughout the country. The working group began with a comprehensive review of biodemographic information of people with disabilities in Brazil, obtained from sources such as the national census, school census, annual list of social information and research of municipal basic information, as well as focus groups with representatives various states of the federation, as well as data collected from focus groups performed with different disabilities and age groups. Through monthly meetings over a period of eight months, the conceptual model of the International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Health was have chosen as a theoretical basis and from which the 41 activities were selected and the environmental factors should be assessed in each of them. The score was defined for each activity in a ratio from 25 to 100, depending on the level of independence. Adjustments were made for children comparing the expected development for each age group according to the description found in other instruments. In addition to the quantitative assessment of the degree of disability, another questionnaire was developed following a qualitative fuzzy logic, which were specific for visual, motor, auditory and intellectual impairments. The definition of cutoff scores was not performed and requires further study.