Reliability of the diagnosis of impairments in survey research in the field of chiropody.

Abstract

Chiropody is a rather unknown paramedical profession in The Netherlands. A chiropodist treats foot and nail problems or postural deviations which may be corrected by means of remedial foot therapy. There is no history of scientific research on chiropody. A necessary first step is a survey on professional practice, diagnosis and treatment. A requirement for a survey study is a reliable registration form. In this study a registration form that draws on the conceptual framework of the ICIDH (International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps) was tested on inter-observer reliability. A chiropodist and a trainee examined 49 patients. Reliability was determined using two measures: the percentage of agreement and Cohen's Kappa. Findings of this study indicate that the reliability of the registration form for the assessment of the chiropody diagnosis is satisfactory.