The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69961

Rune J. Simeonsson, PhD¹, Anita A. Scarborough, PhD², Kathleen M. Hebbeler, PhD³, Donna Spiker, PhD⁴, and sangeeta malik, phd³. (1) Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, CB #8185, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185, 9199666634, rune_simeonsson@unc.edu, (2) Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, CB 8185, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185, (3) Center for Education and Human Services, SRI International, 600 Mockingbird Place, Davis, CA 95616, (4) Policy Division, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Describing the characteristics of children in early intervention and their environments is complicated by variability of eligibility conditions and agencies responsible for services. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) has been used as a common terminology to document the nature and extent of disability and at risk status of children and may have complementary use for documenting aspects of their environments. Data from an ongoing population based study of more than 3000 children and their families will be used to illustrate the application of the ICF to code the environments of these children. Data collection on the children and their physical and social environments occured at 36 months. A comparison of environments will then be made on the basis of the child's reason for early intervention eligibility (developmental delay; established medical condiditions; at risk status). The implications of this approach for surveillance, clinical documentation and research will be identified.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the ICF as a framework for documenting characteristics of children and environments in early intervention
• To demonstrate the assignment of ICF codes to environments for children in early intervention
• To compare environments of children on the basis of their eligibility status (developmental delay, established conditions, at risk)

Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Environment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.