Study Guide: Module 7

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00 – Study Guide – Module 7 – ICF in ethics

Since publication the ICF has been criticised and supported. Keeping the case study in Assignment 4, and your clinical application (goals, interventions, interprofessional team, and outcome measures) in mind, we will look at the ICF as catalyst for ethical practice and human rights. In the process we will also discuss significant debates that have revolved around certain aspects of ICF, such as the inclusion of a personal factors classification, the ICF conceptual model and its use, and the operationalisation of ICF in health systems.

The ICF includes guidance on the ethical application of the classification. Recognising the rights of persons with disabilities to participate on an equal basis with others, the WHO emphasises that the ICF should not be used to disadvantage people with disabilities. Guidelines on respect and confidentiality, the clinical use of ICF, and the social use of ICF information, are included in Annex 6 of the ICF book.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as numerous national disability rights legislation, have been based on the ICF definition of disability.

Goal

To heighten awareness of the issues of collecting data on functioning and disability by focusing on ICF as catalyst for ethical practice and human rights, and to reflect on the selected readings about the three ICF debates.

The ICF conceptual framework within the context of ethics, human rights and legal framework

Contact sessions

There are two contact sessions for this module.

For the first contact session participants will be divided into three groups. Each group will study one of the ICF debates and present it to the other two groups. Thereafter an international ICF scholar will further elaborate on the specific debate.

During the second contact session each participant will present for 5 minutes how ICF can assist them to address ethical and human rights issues in their specific practice or context.