CDC Use of child functioning and disability measures in surveys and surveillance

There is a pressing need for child disability identifier question sets that identify children's functioning within a developmental and cultural context. Current practice is to draw on multiple data sources that use diverse means to identify functional limitations or special needs.

The panel will address: Whom do we want to identify? What questions will do that? What additional information do we want? This specific presentation will a) identify requirements and challenges in using the data from surveys with a child disability identifier set, b) demonstrate comparisons of survey-derived data with case-verification surveillance, and c) advance an ICF-based conceptual framework for developing extended items on age-appropriate outcomes that predict to adult participation.

After a decade of testing adult functioning and disability question sets, resolution towards standardization appears forthcoming. These efforts can inform development of child and adolescent questions. Additional challenges include accounting for normative developmental changes in functioning; reliance on parental report; and diverse cultural expectations.

CDC regularly uses data from extant child and adult disability surveys. We will illustrate comparison of findings of survey data with those of case-verified surveillance; items that worked well and those yieldeing misleading findings. Finally, the session will propose use of the Life Course Model for child disability to inform development of extended questions. This model, based on the ICF, illustrates developmental achievements at different developmental stages along the three life domains of self management of health, social relationships, and education/employment. All are intended to contribute to successful transition to adult participation.