Use of the ICF in identifying factors that impact participation in physical activity among people with disabilities

2007

James Rimmer
[email protected]
312-413-9651

Rimmer, James H. Use of the ICF in identifying factors that impact participation in physical activity among people with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, Volume: 28,Issue: 17, p.1087-1095, 2006. Many health professionals have expressed difficulty finding ways to keep people with disabilities engaged in community-based physical activity/rehabilitation programs. A major reason for this low adherence may be that the recommended intervention plan does not match well with the specific needs of the individual. Various personal and/or environmental factors along with the person's level of functioning can impede participation in healthful physical activity/rehabilitation. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) can be a useful tool for identifying key factors associated with participation in community-based physical activity/rehabilitation. The ICF allows health professionals to identify the level of functioning at the body, person and societal level, as well as understand the person-environment contextual factors that may impede or enhance participation. This paper describes how the ICF can assist health professionals in identifying a broader constellation of factors when prescribing physical activity/rehabilitation programs for persons with varying levels of disability.

Peer-reviewed publications in scholarly journals Published/In Press

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