The international classification of functioning, disability and health: Considering individuals from a perspective of health and wellness

Purpose: This article describes the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and its application to speech, language, and hearing. The article describes the ICF and its purpose, development, contents, and coding. It also discusses how the framework is being used by speech-language pathologists and audiologists in clinical practice and research to investigate body structures and their functions and any restrictions these may place on an individual’s ability to participate in activities.
Conclusion: The ICF framework was developed to present a holistic, person-centered approach for people of all ages, across all nations, health care disciplines, services, and time, from a perspective of health and wellness. Therefore, it is an appropriate framework for the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology for use with people in relation to their communication and/or hearing. The acceptance of the ICF as a biopsychosocial framework for practice and research marks a transition in thinking from the professions’ previous focus on handicap to a focus instead that considers individuals and society from a perspective of health and wellness.