The use of outcome measures in physical medicine and rehabilitation withinEurope

The aim of the study was to survey the use of outcome measures in rehabilit ation within Europe. It was envisaged that this would provide the basis for further studies on the cross-cultural validity of outcome measures. A post al questionnaire was distributed in November 1998 to 866 units providing re habilitation. In total, 418 questionnaires were returned, corresponding to a response rate of 48%. These 418 centres treated an estimated 113000 patie nts annually, undertaking 360000 assessments. The survey focused on nine di agnostic groups: hip and knee replacement, low back pain, lower limb ampute es, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, spin al cord lesions, stroke and traumatic brain injury. It identified a relativ ely small number of dominant outcome assessments for each diagnostic group and some variation in the preference for measures across regions. A large n umber of measures, however, are being used in one or a small number of loca tions and with relatively few patients. For rehabilitation of orthopaedic p atients the majority of assessments undertaken are at the impairment level. For patients with neurological disorders the emphasis is mostly upon measu res of disability.