Background: The World Health Organization recommends the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) as a framework for collecting comprehensive information about functioning and disability. However, the utility of the ICF is limited by some inconsistencies in the understanding of the ICF categories. Simple, intuitive descriptions (SIDs) highlight the core concepts of the ICF category definitions in user-friendly languages and enhance the utility of the ICF for routine clinical practice. Currently, the 10th revision of the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) is being universally used for mortality and disease-related data and as a major indicator of health status in South Korea and worldwide. However, the 11th revision (ICD-11) was developed in 2018 with the addition of Chapter V which reflects functioning properties and better explains the association between functioning and disease. We aimed to develop a Korean version of SIDs for clinical use of the generic functioning domains in the ICD-11 Chapter V.Methods: The initial Korean SID version proposal for the ICF Generic-30 set was translated following the Italian version. For the remaining 17 codes in the generic functioning domains were developed using the original ICF descriptions; the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule; Model Disability Survey; Korean Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health; and a previous Japanese study. Multistage consensus virtual (Zoom) conferences were held in October 2020 in Korean to develop the SIDs. The final proposal for the Korean version of the SIDs was selected through three rounds of voting. Results: This study demonstrated a total of 47 codes of generic functioning domains in the ICD-11 Chapter V. From vote A, 20 of the 47 items were selected; from vote B, 23 of the remaining 27 items were selected; and the remaining four items were ultimately selected from the final vote. All experts agreed to the final SID proposal. Conclusions: This is the first study in South Korea to attempt the development of SIDs for ICD-11 Chapter V. Therefore, the findings of this study could be used broadly when ICD-11 is adopted for use in Korean clinical settings.
