REFLECTION ON THE DEFINITION OF IMPAIRMENT AND DISABILITY AS DEFINED BY THE WORLD-HEALTH-ORGANIZATION

The International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Han dicaps (ICIDH) is gaining wide acceptance inside and outside the field of rehabilitation medicine. Impairment and disability are concepts wh ich are very often used interchangeably or defined differently. The Wo rld Health Organization (WHO) has defined impairment and disability in the ICIDH. In this article an analysis is made of these definitions a nd the characteristics that are given for the definitions. Based on th is analysis, modifications for the definitions and characteristics of impairment and disability are suggested.