The Canadian database on disability issues: a national application of the ICIDH

The need for a national database on persons with disabilities was articulated in early 1980 when members of the Canadian government conducted a nationwide consultation to establish the issues facing persons with disabilities in Canada. This paper will describe the development of this database and show how the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH) and the international community played an important role in the successful creation of a database which has been used to improve the quality of life for Canadians with disabilities. The Canadian database on disability issues now includes information from three major surveys: the 1983/84 Canadian Health and Disability Survey (CHDS '83), the 1986/87 Health and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS '86) and the 1991/92 Health and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS '91).