This metadata item contributes to the definition of the concept 'Disability' and gives an indication of the experience of disability for a person.

Extent of influence of environmental factors corresponds to the degree, strength or magnitude of the influence and the amount of time the influence is experienced by the person. It is essentially a summary measure, in which are embedded the concepts of availability, quality and importance, that indicates the effect the specified environmental factor has on the person.

Whether, and by how much, environmental factors are influencing an individual's level of functioning, and whether the influence is a facilitator or barrier, may indicate the sorts of interventions that will optimise the individual's functioning. This information may be for policy development, service provision, or advocacy purposes. Preventative strategies could be indicated by this information.

This value domain can be used to collect information across the whole spectrum of influence, for example, tactile flooring may be a facilitator to a person with visual impairment and a barrier to a person with mobility impairments. In line with the ICF approach to functioning and disability, this value domain recognises, and gives the means to record, the positive influence of environmental factors as well as those factors that limit the level of functioning of a person.

The codes are mutually exclusive. The choice of codes depends on the context of the data collection. For example; if collecting information about the positive influence of an environmental factor such as a community service it would be appropriate to use Code 0 No facilitator if the service was not influencing the person's level of functioning (even if the service were not a barrier to the person's functioning).

Code +0     No facilitator:

Used when the environment factor does not impact in a positive way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person.

Code +1     Mild facilitator:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a positive way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 5-24% of the time the person participates in the specified domain of functioning or has a low level of impact on the person's functioning.

Code +2     Moderate facilitators:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a positive way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 25-49% of the time the person participates in the specified domain of functioning or has a significant, but moderate impact on the person's functioning.

Code +3     Substantial facilitators:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a positive way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 50-95% of the time the person participates in the specified domain of functioning or has an extreme effect on the person's functioning.

Code +4     Complete facilitators:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a positive way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 96-100% of the time the person participates in the specified domain of functioning or the person functions optimally with this environmental factor.

Code +8     Facilitator not specified:

Used when there is insufficient information to record the Extent of environmental influence code (ICF 2001) N in classes +1 to +4.

Code 0     No barrier:

Used when the environment factor does not impact in a negative way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person.

Code 1     Mild barriers:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a negative way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 5-24% of the time the person participates in the specified domain of functioning or has a low level of impact on the person's functioning.

Code 2     Moderate barriers:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a negative way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 25-49% of the time the person participates in that specified domain of functioning or has a significant, but moderate impact on the person's functioning.

Code 3     Severe barriers:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a negative way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 50-95% of the time the person participates in that specified domain of functioning or has an extreme effect on the person's functioning.

Code 4     Complete barriers:

Used when the environmental factor impacts in a negative way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person between 96-100% of the time the person participates in the specified domain of functioning or is of such magnitude that the person is unable to function.

Code 8     Barrier not specified:

Used when there is insufficient information to record the Extent of environmental influence code (ICF 2001) N in classes 1 to 4.

Code 9     Not applicable:

Used when environmental factors impacts in neither a positive or negative way on the body structure or function, activity or participation of a person or for between 0-4% of the time the person participates in that specified area and has minimal impact on the person's level of functioning in the specified domain.

Further information on the ICF, including more detailed codes, can be found in the ICF itself and the ICF Australian User Guide (AIHW 2003), at the following websites:

•  WHO ICF website
  http://www.who.int/classifications/icf/en/
• Australian Collaborating Centre ICF website
  http://www.aihw.gov.au/disability/icf/index.cfm