Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview
Objectives: To overcome the inherent limitations of the medical and social models of disability, the World Health Organization developed the first international conceptualization of disability: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Despite the ICF’s robustnes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Negah Institute for Scientific Communication
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Iranian Rehabilitation Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1310-en.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797669630717722624 |
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| author | Surajo Kamilu Sulaiman Ashiru Hamza Mohammad Aminu Alhassan Ibrahim Sham’unu Isa Abdu Bashir Kaka |
| author_facet | Surajo Kamilu Sulaiman Ashiru Hamza Mohammad Aminu Alhassan Ibrahim Sham’unu Isa Abdu Bashir Kaka |
| author_sort | Surajo Kamilu Sulaiman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To overcome the inherent limitations of the medical and social models of disability, the World Health Organization developed the first international conceptualization of disability: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Despite the ICF’s robustness, it is still underutilized in research and practice in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This article discusses the applications, strengths, limitations, and unique considerations when using the ICF to explore disabilities in LMICs like Nigeria.
Methods: A literature search was conducted in Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, AMED, and Google Scholar. Articles were selected if they reported on any of the development, structure, applications, strengths, and limitations of the ICF. The review draws from the selected articles using a narrative discussion.
Results: The literature search yielded 22 articles that met the eligibility criteria. The ICF is a classification of components of health and functioning, which views disability as an outcome of a dynamic interaction between a person’s health condition and contextual factors. The ICF was developed cross-culturally; thus, it is applicable in various socio-environmental contexts. However, despite its comprehensiveness, the ICF is criticized for lack of clear theoretical underpinnings, overlapping and redundant components, and absence of systematized personal factors.
Discussion: The ICF has brought a significant paradigm shift in the measurement of disability by explicitly recognizing the role of contextual factors in the incapacitation process and placing all health conditions on an equal footing. Hence, stakeholders in disability research and practice in LMICs need to prioritize the ICF over other disablement models. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:47:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-496cf78d1085444aaad62e916224a629 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1735-3602 1735-3610 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:47:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Negah Institute for Scientific Communication |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Rehabilitation Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-496cf78d1085444aaad62e916224a6292023-10-01T07:32:28ZengNegah Institute for Scientific CommunicationIranian Rehabilitation Journal1735-36021735-36102021-09-01193261272Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative OverviewSurajo Kamilu Sulaiman0Ashiru Hamza Mohammad1Aminu Alhassan Ibrahim2Sham’unu Isa Abdu3Bashir Kaka4 Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. Godiya Disability Inclusion and Development Initiative (GDID), Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria. Department of Physiotherapy, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano State, Nigeria. Department of Physiotherapy, General Hospital Kazaure, Nigeria. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. Objectives: To overcome the inherent limitations of the medical and social models of disability, the World Health Organization developed the first international conceptualization of disability: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Despite the ICF’s robustness, it is still underutilized in research and practice in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This article discusses the applications, strengths, limitations, and unique considerations when using the ICF to explore disabilities in LMICs like Nigeria. Methods: A literature search was conducted in Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, AMED, and Google Scholar. Articles were selected if they reported on any of the development, structure, applications, strengths, and limitations of the ICF. The review draws from the selected articles using a narrative discussion. Results: The literature search yielded 22 articles that met the eligibility criteria. The ICF is a classification of components of health and functioning, which views disability as an outcome of a dynamic interaction between a person’s health condition and contextual factors. The ICF was developed cross-culturally; thus, it is applicable in various socio-environmental contexts. However, despite its comprehensiveness, the ICF is criticized for lack of clear theoretical underpinnings, overlapping and redundant components, and absence of systematized personal factors. Discussion: The ICF has brought a significant paradigm shift in the measurement of disability by explicitly recognizing the role of contextual factors in the incapacitation process and placing all health conditions on an equal footing. Hence, stakeholders in disability research and practice in LMICs need to prioritize the ICF over other disablement models.http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1310-en.pdfinternational classification of functioningdisabilityand health (icf)models of disabilitydisability evaluationconceptual frameworklow- and middle-income countries |
| spellingShingle | Surajo Kamilu Sulaiman Ashiru Hamza Mohammad Aminu Alhassan Ibrahim Sham’unu Isa Abdu Bashir Kaka Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview Iranian Rehabilitation Journal international classification of functioning disability and health (icf) models of disability disability evaluation conceptual framework low- and middle-income countries |
| title | Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview |
| title_full | Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview |
| title_fullStr | Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview |
| title_short | Revisiting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a Comprehensive Model for Exploring Disablement in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Narrative Overview |
| title_sort | revisiting the international classification of functioning disability and health a comprehensive model for exploring disablement in low and middle income countries a narrative overview |
| topic | international classification of functioning disability and health (icf) models of disability disability evaluation conceptual framework low- and middle-income countries |
| url | http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1310-en.pdf |
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