ICF – the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

◊ ICF
◊ Nordic Centre activities
◊ International activities

Information on the inventory of Nordic activities related to ICF

ICF - International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
The previous International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) has gone through a far-reaching revision process by the WHO in collaboration with specially designated ICIDH Centres around the world. The final revision was accepted by the World Health Assembly in May 2001 as the new International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

The full version of ICF in WHO's six official languages (English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic) as well as other language versions are available at the WHO website for ICF.

All of the Nordic countries, except Iceland, have national language translations of ICF. The national authorities responsible for translation of ICF in the Nordic countries are: the Danish National Board of Health, the Finnish National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), the Icelandic Ministry of Health and Social Security, the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Welfare, and the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.

The proposed ICF-CY (children and youth) developed by the ICF-CY Task Group and results from field trials were presented to WHO in 2005. Discussions about the suggested modifications for the child and youth version followed. WHO has conducted an international hearing and a report on the outcome is expected in the spring of 2006.

Swedish field trials for the preliminary Swedish version of ICF-CY are managed by the research programme CHILD led by professor Eva Björck-Åkesson, Mälardalen University College. More information can be found at the website of CHILD.
A preliminary Swedish translation of ICF-CY can be found at the website of the National Board of Health and Welfare http://www.sos.se/epc/klassifi/icf_cy.htm

Nordic Centre activities

The Nordic Centre participated in the international revision work as a clearinghouse which distributed information and material to national authorities and co-ordinated Nordic activities. The Centre continues to follow the development of ICF implementation in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The international work also continues in the framework of the WHO-FIC Collaborating Centres.

In 2001, the Nordic Centre established a Nordic ICF reference group as its expert advisory body. This group consists of an expert panel with country representatives involved in the national translation work as well as representatives from the authorities responsible for classifications.

The Nordic Centre has also established a network of persons interested in the development and implementation of ICF in the Nordic-Baltic countries. This network supports continued co-operation regarding implementation of ICF. Although ICIDH was never used formally in the Nordic countries, ICF has been received with considerable interest in different professional groups.

Nordic inventory
The Nordic Centre performed a survey of applications of ICF - practical, educational or research applications - in the Nordic countries. One particular area of interest is the use and development of selected sets if ICF items ("core sets") for various specific purposes. Sets can be based on the needs for specific health conditions or diseases, or may take as starting point the needs of a specific activity, service (care of the elderly) or setting (school, community care). The survey is made with support from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Data collection ended in June 2006.

To se the Final report in (pdf)

For additional information on the survey, please contact Catharina Broberg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

Conferences and meetings

The 5th Nordic-Baltic conference on ICF took place in Oslo, Norway 4-5 June 2007. The conference was arranged jointly by the Nordic Centre and the Directorate for Health and Social Welfare in Norway. Program and presentations for dowload can be found at the conference website.

The 4th Nordic-Baltic conference on ICF took place in Tallinn, Estonia, 19-20 May 2005. The conference was arranged jointly by the Nordic Centre and the Ministry of Social Affairs in Estonia. Program and presentations for dowload can be found at the Tallinn conference website.

The Nordic Centre and the Finnish National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), jointly arranged the 3rd Nordic-Baltic conference on ICF in Helsinki in September 2002. The focus was on practical and clinical applications of ICF - "ICF in practice". Links to the presentations can be found in the Helsinki conference programme.

The previous conference, in 2001, was arranged together with the Danish National Board of Health and Marselisborgcentret in Aarhus, Denmark. The theme for the conference was the revision process of the ICIDH-2. The status of ICF in the Nordic-Baltic countries was also discussed. Links to some of the presentations can be found in the Aarhus conference programme.

Previous information and links

2004
Presentation of ICF (in Norwegian) by the Directorate for Health and Social Affairs (pdf )

2001
An editorial on ICF called "ICF approved as the successor of ICIDH" has been published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. It is authored by the editor-in-chief of the Journal, Professor Gunnar Grimby and Professor emer. Björn Smedby.

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Last updated 16 June 2006