The aim of this article is to present the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which comprises the "family" of classifications of the World Health Organization (WHO). This study presents the background and the process of reviewing the previous classification, the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH), on which the current classification was based. The framework of ICF replaces the negative perspective of impairment and disability with a positive standpoint, considering the activities that a person with alterations in body functions and/or structures can perform, and also their social participation. The functioning and impairment are determined by the environmental context where people live. The ICF represents a change on the paradigm for thinking and working impairment and disability, establishing an important instrument to evaluate the living conditions and to improve social inclusion policies. The classification has been incorporated and is being used by different professionals in several healthcare sectors. Nevertheless, it will become more adequate as it is used by a greater number of professionals working in different contexts and with a wider range of patients.
International Classification of Functioning; Disability and Health; World Health Organization; Persons with impairment
