Recorded presentation

Patricia Welch-Saleeby, MSSA, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St Louis, MO 63130, 3142861612, welchp@wustl.edu

The World Health Organization released its revised classification system called the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health or ICF in 2001. Although the ICF is considered a health-related classification, it has been designed for multiple uses across numerous disciplines including social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, and speech-language pathology. Overall, the ICF provides a framework to describe functioning, disability and health as the dynamic interaction of an individual in his/her environment. Although other frameworks support such a person-in-environment approach, the ICF uniquely provides a classification to identify specific activities and participation categories that may be affected by an individual’s health condition as well as specific environmental factors that may affect individuals either as facilitators or barriers. Consequently, the ICF facilitates the identification of potential interventions for addressing difficulties in functioning or disabilities resulting from health conditions. The ICF differs from traditional health indicators in that it shifts away from mortality and focuses on how individuals live with their health conditions and how their lives can be improved via changes to the individual and/or the environment. As an active participant in the development of the ICF and the ICF clinical manual, the presenter will provide an overview of the ICF framework including concepts and terminology. The ICF classification will be described, and the ICF clinical manual will be reviewed to facilitate use by public health social workers and other health professionals. Finally, specific applications of the ICF in social work practice, policy, and research will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session participants will be able to

(
• List the primary components of the ICF framework and classification, (
• Describe how functioning, disability and health are dynamic interactions of the individual and the environment, (
• Identify benefits of the ICF clinical manual for health professionals especially public health social workers

Keywords: Disability, Social Work

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation