Participation - functioning, disability and health

Involvement refers to the lived experience of people in the actual context in which they live. This context includes 'Environmental Factors' - all aspects of the physical, social and attitudinal world.

The individual's degree of involvement can be reflected by this glossary item when combined with Participation extent code (ICF 2001) X and Participation satisfaction level code X.

'Activities and participation' is one of three components that define the concept 'Disability', along with 'Body functions and structures' and 'Environmental factors'. 'Activities and participation' is also encompassed within the concept 'Functioning'.

The concept 'Participation', as defined here and as measured in the metadata items Participation extent code (ICF 2001) X and Participation satisfaction level code X, may be relevant to people and human services not related to disability.

World Health Organization (WHO) 2001. 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

Participation restrictions are problems an individual may experience in involvement in life situations.

In time, a related and more generic data element may be developed. In the meantime, the addition of 'functioning, disability and health' to the name of this glossary item indicates that the current concept is based on the concept and framework developed by World Health Organization to assist in the classification and description of functioning and disability, as contained in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

This glossary item is based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The ICF was endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2001 as a reference member of the WHO Family of International Classifications and of the Australian Family of Health and Related Classifications (endorsed by the National Health Information Management Group in 2002).

The ICF provides a framework for the description of human functioning and disability. The components of ICF are defined in relation to a health condition. A health condition is an ‘umbrella term for disease (acute or chronic), disorder, injury or trauma’ (WHO 2001). A health condition may be recorded, for example, as Episode of care principal diagnosis, code (ICD-10-AM 3rd edn) ANN{.N[N]} and Episode of care additional diagnosis, code (ICD-10-AM 3rd edn) ANN{.N[N]}.