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Environmental factors 'make up the physical, social and attitudinal environment in which people live and conduct their lives' (WHO 2001:10). The ICF identifies environmental factors as a key component in defining the concept of disability. The decision to include these factors as an important new component of the ICF recognises their influence on functioning and disability.
Environmental factors interact with the other ICF components of Body Functions and Structures, Activities and Participation. They can have the effect of improving or hindering an individual's body function, ability to execute an activity, and/or their participation in society, and hence the level of impairment, activity limitation and participation restriction experienced. An environment with facilitators can improve the experience of people with disabilities in society; one with barriers, or without facilitators, will restrict their integration. Different environments, therefore, may have a different impact on the same individual with a given health condition.
To operationalise these concepts, the Australian Collaborating Centre has drafted national data elements for Environmental factors (see Section 7 and AIHW 2003a). Comments on their use are welcome; please use the template in Table 6.1 for this purpose.
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