ICF: Important emerging issues in promoting healthy communities

Community-based initiatives have emerged which are most relevant for uniform disability-related communication and information sharing. This presentation consists of three parts: 1) comparing and contrasting the indicators of age- and disability- friendly cities using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), 2) the crucial role of policymakers in promoting health and well-being for people with disabilities in the community, and 3) compelling benefits of using the ICF. The authors will compare and contrast the health-related indicators of the concepts of “age-friendly” and “disability-friendly” cities. The World Health Organization Global Network for Age Friendly Cities focuses on 8 indicators, including outdoor space, transportation, housing, participation, and community support. Two US cities have joined this endeavor. The National Organization on Disability (NOD) identified slightly different indicators for cities to submit an application for the annual Accessible America competition: demographic awareness, accessibility, participation, communicating a welcoming attitude, and emergency preparedness. The ICF codes will be used to compare and contrast these indicators and to analyze the implications for participation in community, social and civic life. Empirical data from a Midwestern city and pilot data from the NOD award cities (N11) provide persuasive evidence of the crucial role of city leaders in promoting health and functioning in the community. The benefits of the ICF will be discussed as a comprehensive framework for raising awareness and for collecting uniform data. Recommendations for future research include community-based participatory action strategies to enhance accessibility and participation for residents with disability and the aging population.