About the Video
Els Nieuwenhuijsen, Ph.D., MPH, OTR, a retired research investigator at the University of Michigan’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation has produced a video about the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The video was developed in collaboration with Mary Reilly, Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), and Emily Ginier, Taubman Health Sciences Library, two collaborators at the University of Michigan.
“The Meaning of Disability” features interviews with community members who have disability, including Carolyn Grawi, Lloyd Shelton and Madeline Bacolor. The overall goal of this video is to raise public awareness about the ICF, and to promote uniform terminology to help researchers, health care providers, policy makers and many other professionals collect and compare standard data and outcomes. The video is available for viewing at the top of this page, as well as on YouTube.
What is the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)?
The ICF is a uniform framework intended to educate individuals about health, functioning and disability at the individual and population levels. It analyzes the intersection of environmental factors and persons with a disability.
"The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, known more commonly as ICF, is a classification of health and health-related domains. As the functioning and disability of an individual occurs in a context, ICF also includes a list of environmental factors." (Source: World Health Organization)
ICF Related Documents and Links
- ICF Searchable Database
- The ICF: An overview (PDF File)
- How to use the ICF. A Practical Manual for using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (PDF file)
- 2015 World Report on Ageing and Health (PDF file)
- 2011 World Report on Disability
- 2008 Training Manual on Disability Statistics
- Towards a Common Language for Functioning, Disability and Health, ICF report from 2002 (PDF file)
- ICF: Original from 2001 (PDF file)
- ICF: Short version from 2001
For more resources on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) please visit our ICF Resources page.