1 Before you use it
What it is
Twenty activities across eight categories — dressing, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip, and other activities — scored for difficulty, with aids and assistance taken into account.
The standard functional measure in inflammatory arthritis.
When to reach for it
Inflammatory arthritis presentations — axial spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid, psoriatic — and hand OA where aids and adaptations are part of the plan.
Patterns it serves · 2
2 Giving it
Scoring
Highest score in each of the eight categories, averaged to 0–3. Higher means more disability. Use of an aid or assistance raises that category's score to at least 2 — a rule people miss.
What it doesn’t measure
Disease activity, pain, or spinal mobility. Use BASDAI, the NPRS and BASMI.
3 Reading the score
Interpreting it
Interpret against baseline and alongside the disease-activity picture.
Is the change real?
Student trap. Ignoring the aids rule. If they use a device for that category, the category scores at least 2 regardless of how easy they say it is.
Official source: integrationacademy.ahrq.gov. We don't host the form.
This is a learning tool. It does not diagnose patients and does not replace your clinical educator.
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CliniStudy is in beta. One tap is enough — it decides what gets fixed first.