title: Impairments and disabilities in hand therapy: the necessity of a uniform terminology for communication and research purposes.
abstract: Uniformity in the use of professional language is very important in the field of medicine. Impairments and disabilities are terms that are often used interchangeably. To health professionals analyzing a patient's health problem, formulating treatment goals, or writing questionnaires and protocols, the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH) offers a conceptual framework that has a great potential to remedy improper use of terms and that can enhance communication. The purpose of this article is twofold: (1) to familiarize the hand therapist with the ICIDH and (2) to present some proposals for a revision of the ICIDH that will make the classification structurally more practical and thereby will facilitate its use.
authors.affiliation: Dutch National Institute for Research and Postgraduate Education in Physical Therapy, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brandsma
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Heerkens
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: van Ravensberg
mesh_terms: D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D009626:Terminology as Topic