What does the Barthel Index measure?

• A. The amount of assistance needed to perform ten ADL and mobility activities; maximum score 100
• B. Cognitive function in daily life
• C. Quality of life
• D. Pain during activities

Answer: (A)

The main idea behind the Barthel Index is functional independence in daily living. It gauges how much assistance a person needs to perform ten activities related to daily living and basic mobility. Each task is scored to reflect the level of independence, and the scores are added to give a total from 0 to 100, with a higher score meaning the person is more independent. This makes it useful for tracking recovery and planning discharge after events like a stroke. It focuses on actual performance in tasks such as feeding, bathing, grooming, dressing, bowel and bladder control, toilet use, transfers (bed to chair), mobility on level surfaces, and stairs—not on cognitive status, quality of life, or pain during activities.