Measuring Disability and Its Predicting Factors in a Large Database in Taiwan Using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0
Resource
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 11(12), 12148-12161
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Pages
12148-12161
Date Issued
2014
Date
2014
Author(s)
Chi, Wen-Chou
Chang, Kwang-Hwa
Escorpizo, Reuben
Yen, Chia-Feng
Liao, Hua-Fang
Chang, Feng-Hang
Chiou, Hung-Yi
Teng, Sue-Wen
Chiu, Wen-Ta
Liou, Tsan-Hon
Abstract
The definition of disability had been unclear until the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health was promulgated in 2001 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Disability is a critical but relatively neglected public-health concern. We conducted this study to measure disabilities by using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) and identify the factors that contribute to disabilities. We obtained and analyzed the data on people who applied to Taiwan's disability registration system between September 2012 and August 2013. A total of 158,174 cases were selected for this study. Among the people included in this study, 53% were male, and the females were on average 3 years older than the males. More males than females were of a low socioeconomic status, but the rate of employment was higher among the males than among the females. Age, sex, place of residence, and types and severity of impairment were all determined to be factors that independently contributed to disability. This study has demonstrated that disability can be measured and compared using WHODAS 2.0. Increasing the public-health attention devoted to disability and identifying the factors associated with disability can promote independence and social participation in people with disabilities.
Subjects
disability
ICF
impairment
Other Subjects
database; disability; measurement method; public health; World Health Organization; adult; age distribution; aged; Article; autism; bipolar disorder; cerebrovascular accident; clinical assessment tool; controlled study; data base; dementia; depression; disability; disease association; disease classification; disease severity; employment; employment status; female; hearing impairment; human; ICD-9-CM; major clinical study; male; mental deficiency; mental disease; population research; prediction; public health; questionnaire; residential area; risk factor; schizophrenia; sensory dysfunction; sex difference; social status; spinal cord injury; Taiwan; visual impairment; world health organization; World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0; classification; disability; disabled person; epidemiology; factual database; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; middle aged; socioeconomics; statistics and numerical data; world health organization; Taiwan; Adult; Aged; Databases, Factual; Disability Evaluation; Disabled Persons; Female; Humans; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; Male; Middle Aged; Socioeconomic Factors; Taiwan; World Health Organization