A Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF) como dicionário unificador de termos
Marina Carvalho Arruda Barreto, Fernanda Guimarães de Andrade, Luciana Castaneda, Shamyr Sulyvan de Castro
Abstract
The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (CIF) was formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO), based on the biopsychosocial model, having as one of the main objectives to provide a neutral and non-discriminatory universal language. However, it is still possible to observe challenges for the success in establishing and using this language universally, causing a series of barriers in communication at the level of teaching, clinical practice, management, and research. This theoretical essay seeks to reflect on the analysis of the challenges that the heterogeneity of the language used to describe and characterize the functioning and the perception that, even after 20 years of publication of the ICF, the use of biomedical logic is still persistent, if configuring as a barrier to the paradigm shift. In addition to discussing the benefits of using ICF as a universal language for health professionals. We affirm the need for an effort by the academic and clinical community for the correct use of ICF terms since the misunderstanding in language can lead to inconsistent definitions. We emphasize that this theoretical essay seeks to cover a gap in the Brazilian literature regarding the use of ICF as a dictionary of guiding terms for describing lived health experiences.