Each performance item is rated on this scale with a given number of points assigned to each level or ranking.
A higher number is associated with a greater likelihood of being able to live at home with a degree of independence following discharge from a hospital.
If adaptations outside the standard home environment are met during assessment, the participant's score will be lower if these conditions are not available.
The sensitized version sharply discriminates between good and better and poor and poorer performances.
The Barthel index has been shown to have portability and has been used in 16 major diagnostic conditions as well as different clinical settings (e.g., nursing homes) with satisfactory reliability and validity.