Introduction: International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is an evaluation prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2001 EU membership states adopted this classification as the basic pillar of the rehabilitation policy for people with health disadvantages. The presented paper shows the possibility of using the International classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) in research, more specifically using the classification for the evaluation of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Aim: The aim was to establish in which areas of the respondents’ lives (for which codes) people with ankylosing spondylitis, based on the ICF classification, experience limitation of their functioning, and to analyze the subject codes based on their potential statistically important correlation with selected demographic data (sex, age, address, level of impairment caused by ankylosing spondylitis). Methodology: The research pool comprised 181 respondents who underwent a full spa treatment in Bertiny lázně spa in Třeboň in 2008. The two-level ICF classification was used for the evaluation, i.e. the basic component code and the basic code of a given chapter were used (e.g. b710, s430, d540...). An interview was held with each respondent, to be more precise specific functional tests were taken in order to establish qualifier values for all two-level classification codes. Results: 121 out of all analyzed codes (265) had other than zero qualifier value. 26 in physical function components (b), 12 in physical structure components (s), 23 in activity and participation components (d), 24 in environment facilitating factor components (eI) and 11 in environment barrier factor components (eII). A significantly important dependence of monitored values from the areas of activity and participation components (d) and environment factors (e) was established for twenty codes. Conclusion: The International classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) can be regarded as an ideal conceptual framework for the definition and evaluation of positive, or negative impacts of various environmental aspects on the life of a given individual within the holistic context (bio-psycho-social) of understanding health and social issues. This paper can also help to “popularize” the ICF classification amongst the wider professional public as the practical knowledge of the classification is still fairly limited in this country and it has not been really applied in practice.

University of South Bohemia Faculty of Health and Social Studies Department of Clinical Branches České Budějovice Czech Republic

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