Disability and Culture : Universalism and Diversity

This text presents the background, results and conclusions of a major cross-cultural applicability study of the revised version of the WHO's "International Classification of Functioning and Disability" (ICIDH-2), adopted in 2001, and used in 191 countries.

Like the related ICD-10 did for diseases, ICIDH-2 is expected to revolutionize care of disabilities.

This book presents details of a major multi-centre cross-cultural applicability study of this new classification, carried out in 18 centres across the world.

After looking at the theoretical and methodological background of the study in the first section (also useful as a model for further studies) and explaining the rationale behind the ICIDH, the work then goes on to detail the key findings from each of the participating centres.

The final section provides a detailed analysis of results and their implications for the classification and future directions. This book on the new WHO disability classification, ICIDH-2, should be helpful for public health professionals, health policy planners, social scientists, including cross-cultural psychologists, physicians and others involved in programs for the disabled, as well as students of this area.