The International classification of functioning, disability and health – children and youth (ICF‐CY): testing its utility in classifying information from eco-cultural family interviews with ethnically diverse families with children with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Purpose. The objective of this study was to test the utility of the International classification of functioning, disability and health – children and youth's (ICF-CY) Environmental Factors component by classifying family interview data from two ethnically and culturally diverse – Kyrgyz and Uzbek – families that have children with various types of disabilities in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia.

Methods. The eco-cultural family interview (EFI) was used to interview four Kyrgyz and four Uzbek families. The obtained data were analysed by using manifest content analysis; identified units of meaning named as ‘EFI items’ and ‘EFI concepts’ were then linked to the ICF-CY's codes by application of ten linkage rules.

Results. The analysis of transcribed interviews identified 669 EFI items and 745 EFI concepts. The linking of EFI items to the ICF-CY showed: 92 EFI items and concepts were linked to nd (not definable); 104 items were linked to nc (not covered by the ICF-CY); 15 items were categorised as pf (personal factors); 21 items were linked to categories found in Activities and Participation; and 3 were linked to Body Functions components. The rest of EFI items and concepts were linked to categories of the Environmental Factors component.

Conclusion. The codes included into Chapters 1, 2 and 5 of the ICF-CY environmental component can be easily assigned to the relevant EFI items. There is a necessity to add more codes in Chapters 3 and 4 of the Environmental Factors component, and the inclusion of a separate component of Personal Factors into the classification is suggested.

Keywords:

• The ICF-CY
• families with children with disabilities
• culture
• attitudes