Health and multidimensional disability at older age in South Korea: Applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Framework¹¹

1. This paper is a summary of my doctoral dissertation entitled ‘The effects of health on multidimensional disability among older adults – An application of the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) framework’.

ABSTRACT

This study examined whether health conditions and service-related environmental factors (i.e. accessibility and infrastructure) affected multidimensional disability (i.e. body function, activity and participation), considering service-related environmental factors as moderators. The sample included 10,451 Korean adults aged 65 and older. The main findings revealed that the number of chronic illnesses negatively influenced multidimensional disability. Better accessibility positively affected all three disability dimensions, whereas infrastructure had different associations with each dimension. Additionally, only infrastructure moderated the associations between chronic illnesses and activity capacity and chronic illnesses and participation frequency. Theoretical, practical and policy implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Multidimensional disability
• chronic illness
• accessibility
• infrastructure
• WHO’s ICF framework

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. This paper is a summary of my doctoral dissertation entitled ‘The effects of health on multidimensional disability among older adults – An application of the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) framework’.

2. The social services indicate physical, psychological and interpersonal services to reduce older adults’ social dysfunction and their family and to prevent relevant problems (Mo, 2005).

3. The 16 metropolitan cities and provinces include Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam (including Sejong), Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam and Jeju.

4. The chronic illnesses included high blood pressure, stroke, hyperlipidaemia, angina/cardiac infarction, other cardiac disorders, diabetes, thyroid disease, osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, backache/sciatic neuralgia, chronic bronchitis/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, (pulmonary) tuberculosis, cataract, glaucoma, chronic otitis media, cancer, gastroduodenal ulceration, hepatitis, cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, prostatism, urinary incontinence, venereal disease (syphilis etc.), anaemia, skin disease, fracture, dislocation and sequel following accident and other illnesses.

5. Resident registration population as of 31 December 2014 was used to determine the total number of older adults aged 65 and older in each of the 16 study areas (Statistics Korea, 2015).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sangeun Cho

Sangeun Cho achieved her Ph.D. at Seoul National University, Department of Social Welfare. She is currently an associate research fellow at Korea Disabled People’s Development Institute, a R&D organisation under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Her research interests include quality of life and physical and psychological health among older adults with disabilities and their family, and an application of the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) to welfare issues for people with disabilities in Korea.