Environmental factors code (ICF 2001) N[NNN]

Guide for use:

Environmental factors make up the physical, social and attitudinal environment in which people live and conduct their lives. Environmental factors are external to the individual and can have a positive or negatvie influence on a person's participation as a member of society, on performance of activities, or on a person's body function or structure.

Environmental factors represent the circumstances in which the individual lives. These factors are conceived as immediate (e.g. physical features of the environment, social environment) and societal (formal and informal social structures, services and systems). Different environments may have a very different impact on the same individual with a given health condition.

Facilitators are features of the environment that have a positive effect on disability. Barriers are features of the environment that have a negative effect on disability.

This metadata item, in conjunction with Extent of environmental factors influence code [X]N, may be used in health, community services and other disability-related data collections to record the environmental factors that facilitate or inhibit optimum functioning at the body, person or societal level. Identification of environmental factors may assist in determining appropriate interventions to support the person to achieve optimum functioning.

'Environmental factors' is one of three components that define the concept 'Disability'. 'Body functions and structures' and 'Activities and participation' are the other two components.

The environmental factors classification is a neutral list of environmental factors. It can be used to denote environmental facilitators or barriers by also recording Extent of environmental factors influence code [X]N.

The following are examples of the permissible values listed in the Environmental Factors component of the ICF:

Code 1 Products and technology:

Examples include: products or substances for personal consumption, products and technology for personal use in daily living, products and technology for personal and indoor mobility and transportation, products and technology for communication, products and technology for education, products and technology for employment, products and technology for culture, recreation and sport, products and technology for the practise of religion and spirituality, design, construction and building products and technology of buildings for public use, design, construction and building products and technology of buildings for private use, products and technology of land development, assets.

Code 2 Natural environment and human-made changes to environment:

Examples include: physical geography, population, flora and fauna, climate, natural event, human-caused events, light, time-related changes, sound, vibration, air quality.

Code 3 Support and relationships:

Examples include: immediate family, extended family, friends, acquaintances, peers, colleagues, neighbours and community members, people in positions of authority, people in subordinate positions, personal care providers and personal assistants, strangers, domesticated animals, health professionals, other professionals.

Code 4 Attitudes:

Examples include: individual attitudes of immediate family members, individual attitudes of extended family members individual attitudes of friends, individual attitudes of acquaintances, peers, colleagues, neighbours and community members, individual attitudes of people in positions of authority, individual attitudes of people in subordinate positions, individual attitudes of personal care providers and personal assistants, individual attitudes of strangers, individual attitudes of Health professionals, individual attitudes of other professionals, societal attitudes, social norms, practices and ideologies.

Code 5 Services, systems and policies:

Examples include: services, systems and policies for the production of consumer goods, architecture and construction services, systems and policies, open space planning services, systems and policies, housing services, systems and policies, utilities services, systems and policies, communication services, systems and policies, transportation services, systems and policies, civil protection services, systems and policies, legal services, systems and policies, associations and organisational services, systems and policies, media services, systems and policies, economic services, systems and policies, social security services, systems and policies, general social support services, systems and policies, health services, systems and policies, education and training services, systems and policies, labour and employment services, systems and policies, political services, systems and policies.

Context:
The environment in which a person functions or experiences disability

Origin:

World Health Organization (WHO) 2001. ICF: International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Geneva: WHO

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2003. ICF Australian User Guide Version 1.0. Canberra: AIHW