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Integrated Clinical Approaches to Managing Multimorbidity and Multiple Disabilities: Advances in Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Strategies

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Rehabilitation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 361

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the global aging of the population, the number of individuals experiencing multiple disabilities, also known as multimorbidity and multiple disabilities (MMD), is on the rise. MMD refers to the coexistence of two or more disabilities, which may include visual impairment, hearing or balance issues, voice/speech disorders, chewing difficulties, mobility impairments, internal organ dysfunctions, intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions, or higher brain dysfunction. Additionally, it encompasses the coexistence of multiple disabilities alongside any of the following seven internal organ impairments: cardiac disorder, renal dysfunction, liver impairment, respiratory disorders, bladder or anorectal issues, small-intestine problems, and AIDS resulting from HIV.

Individuals with MMD face significant challenges in daily life, including obstacles in performing daily activities, frequent hospitalizations, extended stays in hospital, a diminished quality of life, considerable psychological strain, higher rates of complications post-surgery, and elevated healthcare costs. Consequently, the demand for rehabilitation services for people with MMD has increased substantially.

However, there is a lack of sufficient scientific evidence regarding the treatment of MMD patients, and existing clinical guidelines for individual conditions do not fully address the complexities of MMD.

In light of this, this Special Issue will explore advancements in the rehabilitation of individuals with MMD. Effective responses to MMD require not only appropriate services tailored to each specific disability but also a holistic approach that considers the interplay between multiple coexisting disabilities. Additionally, to meet the rehabilitation needs of those with MMD, it is essential that we optimize human resources and establish a strong scientific foundation.

We are inviting innovative research articles and comprehensive reviews in the field of clinical rehabilitation to help establish a promising model in this emerging area of rehabilitation.

Prof. Dr. Masahiro Kohzuki
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • heart
  • lung
  • kidney
  • liver
  • bone
  • brain

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 1213 KiB  
Article
Agreement Between the Gross Motor Ability Estimator-3 and the Reduced Gross Motor Function Measure-66 Based on Artificial Intelligence
by Stefanie Steven, Carlotta Müller, Karoline Spiess, Christiane Bossier, Eckhard Schönau and Ibrahim Duran
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(13), 4512; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14134512 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 218
Abstract
Background: The reduced Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (rGMFM-66) has already demonstrated its validity compared to the standard GMFM-66 using the Gross Motor Ability Estimator-2 (GMAE-2). This study aimed to evaluate its validity using the updated Gross Motor Ability Estimator-3 (GMAE-3) and to compare [...] Read more.
Background: The reduced Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (rGMFM-66) has already demonstrated its validity compared to the standard GMFM-66 using the Gross Motor Ability Estimator-2 (GMAE-2). This study aimed to evaluate its validity using the updated Gross Motor Ability Estimator-3 (GMAE-3) and to compare agreement between GMFM-66v2 and GMFM-66v3. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 250 children with cerebral palsy (CP) enrolled in a rehabilitation program between 2015 and 2024. All GMFCS levels (I–V) were represented. The sample included 107 females and 143 males, with a mean age of 6.9 years (SD 3.4). Agreement between scoring methods was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland–Altman analyses. Results: The rGMFM-66 showed excellent agreement with GMFM-66v3 (ICC = 0.994; 95% CI 0.992–0.996). Similar agreement was found between GMFM-66v2 andGMFM-66v3 (ICC = 0.994; 95% CI 0.991–0.996). Bland–Altman plots confirmed close agreement across all comparisons. The rGMFM-66 reduces administration time from 45 to 26 min, offering a 42% time saving in clinical use. Conclusions: The rGMFM-66 demonstrates very high agreement with GMFM-66v3 and appears to be a valid alternative. Its strong concordance supports its applicability in both clinical and research settings. Although agreement was high, minor differences between scoring methods indicate that results should be interpreted in light of the scoring algorithm applied. Full article
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