Contextualizing the Impact of Snakebite Envenoming on Patients: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Patient-Specific Functional Scale Activities Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

To categorize the Patient-specific Functional Scale (PSFS) activities in snakebite envenoming (SBE) using the International Classification of Function (ICF) model in order to describe the impact of SBE on patients’ activities and daily lives and to develop a theoretical SBE model of functioning, we performed a post-hoc analysis of two multi-center, prospective studies, conducted at 14 clinical sites in the United States with consecutive SBE patients presenting to the emergency department. Qualitative content analysis and natural language processing were used to categorize activities reported in the PSFS using the ICF model. Our sample included 93 patients. The mean age was 43.0 (SD 17.9) years, most had lower extremity injuries (59%). A total of 99 unique activities representing eight domains came within the Activity and Participation component of the ICF model, with the majority in the Mobility and General Tasks and Demands domains. The main concerns of SBE patients are the ability to perform daily activities and to engage within their social environment. Applying the ICF model to SBE can facilitate the creation of a patient-centered treatment approach, moving beyond body-structural impairments towards a function-based treatment approach and facilitate early integration of rehabilitation services.