ICF
Also written as: ICF — International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
Abbreviation for the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, the WHO framework used in rehabilitation to describe health and disability.
Full Definition
The ICF, published by the World Health Organization in 2001, provides a unified language and conceptual framework for classifying health states across the dimensions of body functions and structures, activities, and participation, along with environmental and personal contextual factors. It is widely used in rehabilitation research, clinical documentation, and policy to move beyond a purely biomedical deficit model. Editors working on rehabilitation content must recognise ICF codes (e.g., b730 for muscle power functions) and understand that the ICF is a classification system, not a measurement tool. It should not be confused with ICD (International Classification of Diseases), which classifies diagnoses.
Usage
Usage note: Expand on first use. Distinguish from ICD (disease classification). ICF-CY is the children and youth version.
In Context
- "All outcome measures were mapped to ICF categories to facilitate cross-study comparison." — Systematic review methodology section
- "The case summary used ICF terminology to frame the patient's participation restrictions in return-to-work planning." — Vocational rehabilitation case report