Encyclopedia of Pain

2013 Edition
| Editors: Gerald F. Gebhart, Robert F. Schmidt

WHO System on Impairment and Disability

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_4868
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Synonyms

 Disability and health (ICF) and ICF core sets;  WHO International classification of functioning

Definition

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) (WHO 2001) provides a framework for health practitioners to evaluate the impact of health conditions upon particular individuals. Against the background of contextual, personal, and environmental factors, the impact of the health condition upon the person is considered in terms of the interaction between body structures and functions, activities, and participation (Gibson and Strong 2003; WHO 2001). The ICF model conceptualizes the functional aspects of health, moving from an impairment-focused or deficit-focused framework to a participative framework. The WHO ICF model is illustrated in Fig. 1. Instead of focusing on impairments, which are problems in body function, such as significant deviation or loss, attention is given to not only the difficulties the...
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References

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia