Are you a health professional with a minimum of five years experience in the treatment of people with MS? Would you consider completing a short 5-question online survey as part of a project to develop International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for MS?

The ICF Core Sets for MS are a selection of aspects of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) which capture those areas of functioning that are most likely to be affected by people with MS. More information about this process and other ICF Core Sets can be found at www.icf-research-branch.org.

The objective of the project is to develop ICF Core Sets for MS and to facilitate the implementation of the ICF in all research, clinical practice, and teaching concerning MS. The project has been developed in collaboration with:

• The Classification, Assessment and Surveys (CAS) team at the World Health Organization (WHO)
• Valens Rehabilitation Centre, Switzerland
• ICF Research Branch, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Germany
• International Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ISPMR)
• Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF)

The ICF Core Sets for MS will be defined during a Consensus Conference in May 2008 based on the evidence derived from the following four preparatory studies:

• A short 5-question online survey completed in September 2007 by health professionals (physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, (neuro-) psychologists, speech/language therapists, and social workers) with a minimum of five years experience in the treatment of people with MS
• A systematic review of parameters used in MS research
• A qualitative study using focus groups and individual interviews with people with MS
• An empirical cross-sectional study involving people with MS

The ICF Core Sets for MS in clinical practice will then be tested and validated.

Your involvement in this initiative is vitally important and ICF Research would be very grateful if you would participate in the above mentioned survey, which will focus on the main issues facing people with MS and should take no more than thirty minutes to complete.

ICF Research would also be very grateful if you could identify/suggest other potential participants from your country.

Please email Michaela Coenen (ICF.WHOsurvey@med.uni-muenchen.de) at the ICF Research Branch by 15 July 2007 to indicate your interest in taking part in the September 2007 survey.