Applying the ICF framework to study changes in quality-of-life for youth with chronic conditions

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to describe how the ICF framework was applied as the foundation for a longitudinal study of changes in quality-of-life (QoL) for youth with chronic conditions. METHOD: This article will describe the study’s aims, methods, measures and data analysis techniques. It will point out how the ICF framework was used—and expanded upon—to provide a model for studying the impact of factors on changes in QoL for youth with chronic conditions. Further, it will describe the instruments that were chosen to measure the components of the ICF framework and the data analysis techniques that will be used to examine the impact of factors on changes in youths’ QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative and longitudinal designs for studying QoL based on the ICF framework can be useful for unraveling the complex ongoing inter-relationships among functioning, contextual factors and individuals’ perceptions of their QoL.