[International classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) 2001]. / La clasificación internacional del funcionamiento de la discapacidad y de la salud (CIF) 2001.

The approach which had been being employed to date for dealing with and classifying those aspects related to health and disability have been revised and updated thanks to the World Health Organization (WHO) having drafted the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, which has now been accepted 191 countries after revamping the prior model and reaching a consensus regarding a new international model for describing and measuring health and disability. As background information, it must be recalled that the Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (CIDH) previously in effect was first published by the WHO in 1980. The process of revising this classification has resulted in some changes of far-reaching importance. The change in the name has been aimed at reflecting the wish to replace the negative perspective of impairments, disabilities and handicaps for a more neutral view of structure and function, considering the positive perspectives of activities and of participation. Another new aspect has been that of including a section related to environmental factors in recognition of their importance, given that by interacting with the health condition they may give rise to a disability, or, at the opposite end of the scale, may restore functioning. The data available has enabled the WHO make estimates including that of some 500 million years of life being lost annually due to disabilities related to health problems, which totals over one half of the years lost annually due to premature deaths. The main objective of this new classification is that of providing the conceptual framework by means of unified, standardized language with a view to of the underlying challenges, setting out a valuable instrument of practical use in public health.

La Clasificación Internacional del Funcionamiento, de la Discapacidad y de la Salud (CIF) 2001 / International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) 2001

La aproximación que hasta ahora se seguía para considerar y clasificar las dimensiones relacionadas con la salud y la discapacidad se ha visto modificada y actualizada gracias a la elaboración por parte de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) de la Clasificación Internacional del Funcionamiento, de la Discapacidad y de la Salud (CIF). Esta clasificación ha sido ya aceptada por 191 países, tras replantear el modelo anterior y acordar un nuevo modelo internacional de descripción y medición de la salud y la discapacidad. Como antecedentes hay que recordar que la Clasificación de Deficiencias, Discapacidades y Minusvalías (CIDDM) anteriormente vigente fue publicada por la OMS por primera vez en 1980. El proceso de revisión de dicha clasificación ha tenido como resultado modificaciones trascendentes. Con el cambio del nombre se ha intentado reflejar el de seo de sustituir la perspectiva negativa de las deficiencias, discapacidades y minusvalías por una visión más neutral de la estructura y de la función, considerando las perspectivas positivas de las actividades y de la participación. Otro aspecto novedoso ha sido la inclusión de una sección de factores ambientales, como reconocimiento a su importancia, ya que interactuando con el estado de salud pueden llegar a generar una discapacidad o, en el otro extremo, a restablecer el funcionamiento. La información disponible ha permitido estimar a la OMS, entre otras cosas, que cada año se pierden unos 500 millones de años de vida a causa de discapacidades asociadas a problemas de salud, lo que representa más de la mitad de los años perdidos anualmente por muertes prematuras. El objetivo principal de la nueva clasificación es proporcionar el marco conceptual mediante un lenguaje unificado y estandarizado ante los retos subyacentes, constituyendo un valioso instrumento de utilidad práctica en salud pública (AU)

The approach which had been being employed to date for dealing with and classifying those aspects related to health and disability have been revised and updated thanks to the World Health Organization (WHO) having drafted the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, which has now been accepted 191 countries after revamping the prior model and reaching a consensus regarding a new international model for describing and measuring health and disability. As background information, it must be recalled thatthe Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (CIDH) previously in effect was first published by the WHO in 1980. The process of revising this classification has resulted in some changes of far-reaching importance. The change in the name has been aimed at reflecting the wish to replace the negative perspective of impairments, disabilities and handicaps for a more neutral view of structure and function, considering the positive perspectives of activities and of participation. Another new aspect has been that of including a section related to environmental factors in recognition of their importance, given that by interacting with the health condition they may give rise to a disability, or, at the opposite end of the scale, may restore functioning. The data available has enabled the WHO make estimates including that of some 500 million years of life being lost annually due to disabilities related to health problems, which totals over one half of the years lost annually due to premature deaths. The main objective of this new classification is that of providing the conceptual framework by means of unified, standardized language with a view to of the underlying challenges, setting out a valuable instrument of practical use in public health (AU)