What is Barthel Index and What is it Used For?
Barthel Index (BI) is an ordinal scale that measures the performance of disabled people, aged people, stroke patients, and patients with chronic disability in activities of daily living (ADL) and mobility. This scale uses ten or fifteen variables of ADL and mobility to measure the dependency and the severity of disability in the patients. The format of ten variables is used the most. The ten variables associated with ADL and mobility include: Bowel Control Bladder Control Assistance required with grooming Assistance required with toilet use Assistance required with feeding Assistance required with transferring (such as moving from chair to bed) Assistance required with walking Assistance required with dressing Assistance required with climbing stairs Assistance required with bathing Each of these ADL and mobility variables are given a score based on the performance of the patients. The patients are given tasks based on these ten variables and they have to complete those withi