[Twenty-five years after publication of the "International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health"-what...

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was published in 2001 to establish a framework for describing the functioning and limitations in functioning of people with disabilities or chronic conditions within the biopsychosocial model. The use of the ICF has been discussed over the past decade from the perspective of research for practice.The ICF has been used in the fields of medical care, research, education, and policy. Closely linked to the health strategy of rehabilitation, the ICF has contributed to a better understanding of rehabilitation. Examples include the activities of the World Health Organization, the ICF Core Sets as a basis for describing functioning of selected clinical health conditions, the integration of the ICF concept into guidelines, and national and international implementation projects. The ICF concept has been integrated into numerous training courses, and continuing education modules are offered. In the areas of social inclusion and vocational reintegration, the use of the ICF has led to participation planning based on entitlement to benefits and ICF-oriented needs assessment.Although the ICF has proven itself as a concept in all the areas described, there remains a gap between demonstration projects developed in research and the widespread use of the ICF. Demonstration projects often reveal a level of complexity and effort that makes consistent use in everyday life difficult. Political support and further developments in research and society, based on the experiences gained, are necessary to establish the tool's effectiveness as a health indicator and to promote social integration and participation on a nationwide scale.