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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Faina Y. Linkov, PhD¹, katherine D. Seelman, PhD², and Ronald E. LaPorte, PhD¹. (1) Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, 3512 Fifth Ave, Room 312, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, 412-303-0394, fyl1@pitt.edu, (2) School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, 4019 Forbes Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Improving the lives of people with disabilities is one of the main focus areas reflected in Healthy People 2010. Enhancing research in the area of disability and the development of new interdisciplinary research teams of disability researchers are some of the most crucial factors that can drive the development improved policies targeting well-being of people with disabilities. There is very little overlap between disability and public health research. Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) database has only 129 grants mentioning both epidemiology and disability, despite its vast importance.

The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a classification framework that can serve as a conduit for bridging the disciplines of disability and rehabilitation and public health, as both fields rely on classification tools to document the incidence and prevalence of various condition. Little research has been done in the area of disability classification tools and assistive technology and their applicability for implementation in countries around the world.

At the University of Pittsburgh, we are forging a link between scientists in public health and rehabilitation sciences. We are working on the development of joint conferences and research proposals with special reference to diabetes and assistive technology, as diabetes is one of the primary causes of long term disability. Our main projected outcome is ultimately the development of a new field of “Public Health Rehabilitation”, where these two important disciplines would finally work together to support improved function and community integration for people with disabilities.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the need for crossdisciplinary research activities between public health and disability/rehabilitation scientists
• Identify and list the priorities of collaborative research activities between the two disciplines
• Apply the concepts of crossdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research to the participants' areas of expertise

Keywords: Disability, Disability Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered