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 within the given time. The health officials carefully supervise them performing the tasks and based on their performance in different tasks, they give the patients numerical scores for each of ten ADL and Mobility variables. The scores for each of the ten variables can be 0, 5, 10, or 15, depending on the patients' performance. 


Uses of Barthel Index 


Barthel Index is used, especially in rehabilitation centers and home healthcare to continuously supervise the improvement of the patients who are participating in rehabilitation. This helps the health officials make a better care plan for the patients so that the improvement process in the patients can be accelerated. This ordinal scale has been proven powerful and effective to improve the health improvement process in patients.


How Does Barthel Index Work? 


The performance measurement of the patients in ADL and mobility using the Barthel scale is conducted by certified health officials. They give a numerical number to patients for each of the tasks they perform. 


Here is the scoring pattern: 


Bowel Control- If the patient is continent, a score of 10 is given to the patient but if he/she is unable to control the bowel movements, he/she is given a score of 0. In case of occasional incontinence, the parent is given a score of 5. 


Bladder Control- The same scoring pattern applies to this element that is applied for bowel control. 


Grooming- When the patient needs help with grooming, a score of 0 is given. In the case of an independent candidate, 5 scores are assigned to him/her.


Toileting- If the patient independently uses the toilet, he is given a score of 10 for toileting but if he requires help for the same, a score of 5 is given to him. In the case of complete dependency, 0 score is assigned to the patient.


Feeding- A patient who can independently eat food is assigned 10 scores but if he needs help for the same, he is given a score of 5. In the case of complete dependency, a score of 0 is assigned. 


Bathing- The patients who can independently take a bath are given a score of 5 while the patients who are completely dependent on others are given a score of 0.


Dressing- The patients who can independently dress up are assigned 15 scores while they are scored 10 if they seek help for the same. A score of 0 is assigned in complete dependency. 


Transferring- If the patient can transfer independently, he is given a score of 15 but if he needs minor or major help, he is given a score of 10 and 5 respectively. In the case of complete inability, a score of 0 is assigned. 


Walking- If the patient can independently walk 50 yards, he is given 15 scores but if he needs some sort of help, he is assigned a score of 10. For the patients who need a wheelchair to move, a score of 5 is given. In the case of complete dependency, a score of 0 is assigned. 


Stairs Climbing- For patients who can independently climb stairs, a score of 10 is assigned but for the patients who need verbal or physical help to perform the same, a score of 5 is assigned. In the case of complete dependency, a score of 0 is given to the patient.  


To know more about the Barthel index in detail, visit the official website of Medical Algorithms. You can get more useful health-related information on this website. 


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