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Measuring Disability among Migrants with Washington Group Tools: Reflections for Field Use
Marco Tofani1,2, Giovanni Galeoto1,3, Anna Berardi1
1Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 27, 2022
Summary
Measuring disability in migrants is challenging. The Washington Group Short Set Enhanced (WG-SS-E) with pain and fatigue questions is recommended for identifying disability risk in refugees and asylum seekers.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Disability Studies
- Migration Health
Background:
- Assessing disability and functional limitations in migrant populations presents significant challenges.
- There is a lack of consensus on standardized methodologies for measuring disability in refugees and asylum seekers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a methodological approach for measuring disability in migrants using Washington Group (WG) tools.
- To compare the effectiveness of different WG tools in identifying disability prevalence in a migrant population.
Main Methods:
- The study interviewed 161 migrants across various regions in Italy.
- Three Washington Group tools were utilized: WG Short Set (WG-SS), WG Short Set Enhanced (WG-SS-E), and WG Extended Set on Functioning (WG-ES).
- Recommended thresholds for each tool were applied to assess disability prevalence.
Main Results:
- Disability prevalence varied by tool: 13.7% (WG-SS), 21.7% (WG-SS-E), and 31.6% (WG-ES).
- Anxiety and depression were significant contributors to disability identification (11.8%).
- The WG-SS was found to exclude mental health aspects, limiting its utility.
Conclusions:
- The WG Short Set (WG-SS) is not recommended for measuring disability in migrants due to its exclusion of mental health.
- The WG Short Set Enhanced (WG-SS-E), augmented with questions on pain and fatigue, is suggested for better identification of disability risk in this population.
