The ICF illustration library

http://www.icfillustration.com

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) authorized the International Classificatio n of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in 2001. It is accepted by 191 c ountries as the international standard to describe and measure health and disa bility. The ICF classifies the health and disability using approximately 1500 items of "body function", "body structure", "activity and participation"and "environmental factors". This ICF illustration library was developed with the intention to facilitate understanding of ICF structure and contents, by providing illustrations of the main ICF items. The author of this library is responsible for all illustrations in the illustr ation library.

http://www.icfillustration.com/icfil_eng/top.html

The ICF illustration library is an illustrated website version of the ICF. It provides a simple way of navigating the structure and construction of ICF. The website includes Japanese, English and Spanish versions of the library. Access to each version is free, and it enables users to view the classification via a hierarchical structure with accompanying codes, text and illustrations. The pages on the site can potentially be used as a training aid for understanding the structure and composition of the ICF, as well as an online aid for using and interpreting the ICF classification system. Use of the illustrations in addition to the text result in more standardised interpretation of the classification and thus ensures consistency of its interpretation. Although the library has been specifically designed with dealing with elderly patients in mind, its design would also lend itself to being adapted for other patients groups and used in other cultural settings.