Second meeting, January 9-10, 2003: Ottawa, Canada

The second meeting will focus on pursuing work begun on two topic areas at the first meeting: 1) the question matrix on the purposes of general disability measures, and 2) results of methodological testing of general disability measures.  The meeting will also look at preliminary work on sets of measures related to the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) components of participation and environment, with a view to developing a more specific work plan for the third meeting.

Agenda

Agenda – Second Meeting of Washington Group on Disability Statistics

Papers and Presentations

Disability Measurement Matrices: Relationships Between Purposes of Measurement and Characteristics of Measures of Disability
This session focused on describing disability measurement matrices, conceptual and empirical, and identifying gaps that exist in disability measurement relative to data needs identified by the Washington Group (WG).  Description of experiences using general disability and health measures ended the session.

• Questions from Non-EU Developed Countries, Question Typology, and Empirical Matrix: Non-EU Developed Countries

   

  • ERK Questions
  • Question Typology
  • Description of General Questions on Disability Matrix
• General Disability Measures in Developing Countries: Relationship Purpose of Measurement
• The Disability Measurement Matrix
• General Measure on People With Disabilities in the European Statistical System

   

  • Part 1 
  • Part 2 
  • Annex 1
  • Annex 2
  • Annex 3a
  • Annex 4
  • Annex 5a
  • Annex 5b
  • Annex 7, 8, 9
• Viewing Measures via the Matrix: Do We Have What We Need?
• General Measures of Health for Use in Health Interview Surveys and Censuses: The UK Experience
  • Comparative Review and Assessment
• Implementation of MEHM-Items in HIS in Denmark (MEHM=Minimum European Health Module) 

Testing and Evaluation of General Disability Measures Currently in Use

This session included presentations of results, analyses, and recommendations from countries using general disability measures in recent censuses or sample-based surveys.  Presentations were also made by countries with plans to test such measures.  Comparability of measures and methodological issues were also discussed.

• Trends in the Prevalence of Disability and Chronic Conditions: Implications for Survey Design and Measurement of Disability
• The OECD Experience in Using Survey-Based Disability Data: An Illustration of Current Possibilities and Limitations
• Questions on Disabilities Raised in the Last Census in St. Lucia
• Measurement of Disability in Australia
• Measurement of Disability in Egypt
• Results From the Canadian 2001 Census and Post-Censal Disability Survey 
• Disability in Canadian Questionnaires 
• Measurement in Existing Surveys/Participation and Environmental Factors 
• General Disability Measurement in Uganda-Focusing on Improvement in Methodology and Concepts Used
• A case study of a population and Housing Census and the Community Based Rehabilitation Programmed

Executive Summary

Summary Report to the UN Statistical Commission – 4 to 7 March 2003

Question Matrix

One of the first products of the first meeting of the Washington Group was the development of a matrix that cross-classifies the purpose that a general disability measure is supposed to address (i.e., the use that the data will be put to) with a typology of question characteristics which address concepts such as domain, severity, etiology and duration.  The cells of the conceptual version of the matrix describe the information on each of the question characteristics that is needed to satisfy each of the specific purposes.  In addition, an empirical version of the matrix is being developed that evaluates the characteristics of the general measures currently in use according to the dimensions of the matrix.  These two matrices, which detail what we need to measure to fulfill purposes as well as what we have measured with existing general indicators, are intended to help us identify the gaps that exist in disability measurement.  They will also help to direct our future work in developing internationally comparable general measures of disability.  Work on both the conceptual and empirical matrix is currently underway by a team with members from Italy, the United Nations, and the United States.

Results of Testing General Disability Measures

Several countries have undertaken research in the area of general disability measures and presented plans or preliminary results at the first meeting. Some developing countries expressed interest in adopting models being proposed by other countries. The second group meeting will provide an opportunity for countries with results from recent censuses or sample based surveys to present their analyses and recommendations to the group. Countries who currently have plans to test such measures would also have an opportunity to share them with other members. Plans for further testing (for instance, in developing countries ) could be developed as a result of this exchange of information.