Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability in North American and has major economic consequences for society. People with knee OA experience the worst quality of life, among musculoskeletal conditions, with function and mobility being influenced by symptoms such as pain and stiffness. However, the impact of OA symptoms varies due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors, leading many researchers to employ biopsychosocial and other population health frameworks to study the disease. These population health approaches have not been adopted when studying knee OA outcomes in bioarchaeology, where a limited biological lens prevails due to the sole reliance on skeletal remains. The purpose of this research was to explore methods for identifying the impairment potential of knee OA in archaeological populations using a clinical sample and population health approaches. Clinical studies have the advantage of assessing not only the biological implications of knee OA but also the functional outcomes. By creating a knee OA grading system applicable for both MRI and dry bone femora samples (Clinical Archaeological Osteoarthritis Score) a link between clinical and archaeological populations was proposed. Using this link to infer functional deficits onto archaeological populations using population health frameworks, a theoretical analysis was performed with two populations; the 17th century Huron and the 19th century Inuit from the Igloolik region of Nunavut. The results demonstrated the increased impairment potential of knee OA in the Inuit population versus the Huron population, produced by contrasting factors captured by the determinants of health, including social and physical environments.

Persons with deafblindness experience difficulties in daily life and they experience service to sometimes barrier. The overall aim of this thesis is therefore to discover, evaluate and explain: 1. mechanisms that might have impact on participation restrictions for people who have visual and hearing impairment i.e. deafblindness and 2. mechanisms that might barrier service to these people. Service is used as an umbrella term for health care, education and certain service for persons with disabilities. Materials from multiple sources have been used: literature (Study I No 96 papers). Interviews (Study I and V) with 32 and 3 adults with deafblindness respectively. Questionnaires (Study II and III): answered by 33 and 34 adults and youth with deafblindness. Patient records (Study IV and V): records from 9 and 3 adult females with USH I respectively. Materials mostly retrospectively cover the period from 2005 and about 40–50 years. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) were consequently used as a framework to describe as well as a tool to analyze mechanisms. Further, the Ecological approach, Disability as a laminated system and Life course approach were used in order to evaluate and explain mechanisms. The conclusions that can be drawn from an ecological, laminated and life course approach are: Participation restrictions for people with deafblindness are far-reaching and are embedded in a complex process of interaction between the person with deafblindness and the environment. Services entail systematical barriers. In order to improve service it is extremely important to understand the role of participation restrictions in deafblindness. Primary activity limitation is to not see and hear enough for comprehension. Hence, not taking part in the visible and audible world is primary participation restriction. Performing activities without basic information includes risk. One important aspect of deafblindness is exposure. Persons with deafblindness require rehabilitation in a life perspective. In order to increase people’s participation and protection requirement of individually adapted support and assistive devices is necessary. ICF and the UN convention support service alterations.

Increasingly better living and working conditions, higher quality healthcare and social conditions are resulting in higher life expectancy more than ever. This is called population ageing. Illness or injury in older age causes various and specific problems which affect all personal areas of the elderly such as physical, emotional, social and spiritual status. It is the aim of rehabilitation to improve or restore those areas following personal injury or illness. One of the various professional disciplines contributing to the rehabilitation process is Occcupational Therapy. The main aim of the thesis is to clarify the role of Occupational Therapy in the area of elderly rehabilitation. It also aims to incorporate the World Health Organisation{\crq}s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) into clinical work of Occupational Therapy and to find its practical use in this discipline.

Introdução: A incapacidade no idoso é multidimensional, envolvendo aspectos de saúde física, emocional, cognitiva, ambiental e social. Os fatores ambientais têm um impacto importante como facilitadores ou barreiras nas atividades e participação social do idoso, especialmente relacionado ao ambiente de moradia e a capacidade de continuar vivendo no próprio domicilio apesar do envelhecimento (Aging in place). Políticas públicas devem ser pensadas levando a questão do Aging in place em consideração. Objetivos: investigar o impacto dos fatores ambientais na incapacidade de idosos que residem em conjuntos habitacionais verticais de interesse social que não contam com quesitos de acessibilidade como o elevador, sob a perspectiva da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF). Método: Para alcance dos objetivos propostos foi necessário a realização da validação de construto e identificação das propriedades psicométricas e de normatização do WHODAS 2.0- 12 itens para avaliação da incapacidade em idosos brasileiros. Após esta etapa, foi realizada a análise dos fatores ambientais sugeridos pela CIF e reconhecidos por moradores dos conjuntos habitacionais e sua associação com a incapacidade funcional. Os estudos transversais aqui apresentados foram realizados com duas amostras distintas: Amostra 1 para o processo de validação de construto e normatização do WHODAS 2.0 contou com 350 idosos assistidos pelo Centro de referência do Idoso na cidade de São Paulo. Com dados desta amostra foi realizada uma análise fatorial exploratória, confirmatória e teoria de resposta ao item e análise de variância para validação de construto e observação da distribuição dos escores na amostra. Amostra 2 contando com 96 idosos residentes em um conjunto habitacional com 26 edifícios verticais com até 4 andares em Bragança Paulista (SP) para análise do impacto dos fatores ambientais na incapacidade dos idosos. Com os dados desta amostra foi realizada análise de regressão linear multivariada para identificação dos fatores ambientais mais associados ao aumento do escore de incapacidade. Resultados: O WHODAS 2.0, 12 itens apresentou boa adequação das cargas fatorais em um modelo unidimensional somente com 10 itens dos 12 avaliados. A retirada do item 6 (concentrar-se) e 10 (lidar com pessoas estranhas) na análise fatorial exploratória melhorou o desempenho do teste com variância explicada de 70 por cento (x2/df = 2,45; p < 0,001, NNFI = 0,98, CFI = 0,99, GFI = 0,99, RMSEA = 0,06; Alpha de Cronbach = 0,95 e Mc Donald = 0,92). Na análise da associação entre barreiras ambientais e incapacidade observou-se que fatores ambientais como escadas, acesso ao transporte público, ruídos, clima e preconceito reconhecidos como barreira foram associados a um aumento no escore do WHODAS 2.0-BO. Conclusão: A presença de barreiras ambientais como dificuldade de acesso ao transporte público, presença de escadas na entrada da casa, ruídos, condições climáticas adversas e preconceito foram associadas a um aumento no escore de incapacidade, o que pode impedir idosos de continuar vivendo no próprio domicílio na presença de tais barreiras. Políticas públicas deveriam considerar o envelhecimento e as barreiras ambientais identificadas neste estudo para a garantia do Aging in place. / Introduction: Disability in older people is multidimensional with physical, emotional, cognitive, environmental and social aspects. The environmental factors could have an important impact as facilitators or barriers in their activities and social participation, specially related to the habitation and the aging in place. Public housing policies should be made based on aging in place. Objectives: to investigate the impact of environmental factors in disability of older people living in a multi-storey apartment complex building for low-income families with no elevator, by International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) perspective. Method: As a first step to this study purpose, analyses of the psychometric properties and normative data of the WHODAS 2.0- 12 item were necessary to validate this instrument and assess disability in Brazilian older people. After that, the analysis of the environmental factors (as suggested by ICF) recognized by older people living in apartment complex building and their association with disability was done. The cross-sectional studies here presented were done with two different samples: Sample 1 was used to identify the construct validation and normative data of the WHODAS 2.0 12 item. This sample had 350 individuals attending a community based reference center for older people in São Paulo. The construct validity was tested with Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Parallel Analysis, Item Response Theory. Sample 2 was used to analyse the perceived environmental factors and the disability. It had 96 older people living in a multi-storey apartment complex for low income families in Bragança Paulista. The regression linear analysis was done to identify the environmental barriers associated to disability in the older people. Results: The WHODAS 2.0, 12-item version, is a unidimensional scale, and goodness of fit occurs only with 10 items evaluating disability in older people. Withdrawn items 6 (concentration) and 10 (leading with strangers) established an appropriate adjustment, with high and excellent values for all indicators. The explained variance was 70 per cent and confirmatory analysis showed X2/df = 2,45; p < 0,001, NNFI = 0,98, CFI = 0,99, GFI = 0,99, and RMSEA = 0,06; reliability indexes Cronbachs ( = 0.95) and McDonalds ( = 0,92) were adequate. This new version was named WHODAS 2.0-BO (Brazilian version for older people). At the environmental barriers and disability association study was observed the association between perceived barriers as public transportation, stairs, noise, climate and prejudice and disability with the increased WHODAS 2.0-BO score. Conclusion: older people who recognize environmental barriers such as access to public transportation, stairs, noise, adverse climate and prejudice have an increase in disability score, which can prevent them from aging in place. The public policies should consider the aging and the environmental barriers identified by this study in order to assure aging in place.

Sibling relationships and the interaction within these relationships play a central role in children’s general development and will therefore impact on functional outcomes of children with severe speech and language disabilities. Siblings of children with disabilities have often felt excluded from family interactions, possibly causing negative attitudes towards participation with their siblings, in turn impacting negatively on the functional outcomes of their siblings with disabilities. The main aim of this research is to determine the attitudes of typically-developing children towards participation with their younger siblings with severe speech and language disabilities in four everyday life situations, namely: play (major life areas), communication, activities of daily living as part of domestic life and interpersonal relationships (time and responsibility issues). Twenty-seven older, typically-developing siblings of children with severe speech and language disabilities were selected to complete the measuring instrument (SAS). The results indicated that the participants held the most positive attitudes towards participation in play (major life areas) but that they held less positive attitudes towards communication participation and that they were least positive about participation in interpersonal relationships (time and responsibility issues). This study succeeded in documenting attitudes of siblings towards participating in four everyday life situations with their younger sibling. It is envisaged that these results will provide tentative guidelines for how activity-based interventions can best be structured to support both the child with a disability and their sibling. Copyright / Dissertation (Master of Arts)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / unrestricted

General lack of awareness regarding neurogenic communication disorders generally, and cognitive-communicative disorders following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) specifically has resulted in pervasive environmental and attitudinal barriers for these individuals. Paradigm shifts within the rehabilitation context have been highlighted which aim to remove barriers, provide social supports, and thereby enhance their participation in all aspects of life. While collaborative communication partner training programs have been advocated as a means to achieve this, a dearth of published programs is evident within the field of TBI, leading to the need for such programs to enhance the awareness and skill of the communication partner, and reduce barriers for the individual. Transformations are likewise apparent in the corporate context, where in spite of legislative changes encouraging diversity awareness programs for employees, few training programs exist worldwide, and in South Africa particularly, which remove barriers between employees and customers with a communication disability, and a TBI specifically. The current research targeted the retail supermarket environment as a context in which a significant number of everyday communicative exchanges take place. The study investigated the ability of a group of sales assistants to identify barriers to, and facilitators of interaction involving customers with a cognitive-communication disorder, using a control group design. This was achieved by the development and administration of 2 questionnaires on 2 different occasions to determine the confidence and skill with which they identified barriers and facilitators during videotaped sales interactions. A once-off training session was developed and conducted with the experimental group participants, in order to increase their confidence and skill in identifying barriers and facilitators of such interactions. The training session employed a number of customized components considered to be powerful contributors to the positive outcome of the study. These included: extensive use of customized video material professionally produced and comprising real interactions involving individuals with a TBI as “customers” in various stores of the participating national supermarket chain during operating hours. Collaboration with an individual with a TBI in the training, together with use of adult learning and diversity awareness principles were considered effective in shifting previous attitudes and fostering new learning. Inter-and-intra-group results on the confidence and skill constructs of the pre-and-post questionnaires were examined. All pointed consistently to the impact of the training session on the improvement demonstrated in the experimental group as compared to the control group on the post-questionnaires as compared with the pre-questionnaires. In addition all subjective training session evaluations by the experimental group participants were consistently highly rated, reflecting the active participation observed during training. The need for companies to expand their concept of customer service to include an acknowledgement of the customer with a disability is emphasized. Training programs empowering their employees to interact with greater awareness and confidence with customers with a TBI specifically will potentially facilitate deeper participation for both. The current research lays the groundwork for more in-depth research that can be generalized beyond this specific population of individuals with a communication disorder. / Thesis (DPhil (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication / unrestricted

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability in North American and has major economic consequences for society. People with knee OA experience the worst quality of life, among musculoskeletal conditions, with function and mobility being influenced by symptoms such as pain and stiffness. However, the impact of OA symptoms varies due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors, leading many researchers to employ biopsychosocial and other population health frameworks to study the disease. These population health approaches have not been adopted when studying knee OA outcomes in bioarchaeology, where a limited biological lens prevails due to the sole reliance on skeletal remains. The purpose of this research was to explore methods for identifying the impairment potential of knee OA in archaeological populations using a clinical sample and population health approaches. Clinical studies have the advantage of assessing not only the biological implications of knee OA but also the functional outcomes. By creating a knee OA grading system applicable for both MRI and dry bone femora samples (Clinical Archaeological Osteoarthritis Score) a link between clinical and archaeological populations was proposed. Using this link to infer functional deficits onto archaeological populations using population health frameworks, a theoretical analysis was performed with two populations; the 17th century Huron and the 19th century Inuit from the Igloolik region of Nunavut. The results demonstrated the increased impairment potential of knee OA in the Inuit population versus the Huron population, produced by contrasting factors captured by the determinants of health, including social and physical environments.

A Reabilitação Cardíaca (RC) composta de exercícios puramente dinâmicos (EPD) tem sido fortemente recomendada para pacientes com doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Contudo, os exercícios resistidos devem ser incluídos como parte de um programa formal, uma vez que contribuem para promover ganhos nas atividades de vida diária e assim na qualidade de vida (QV). Estudos recentes têm mostrado que a magnitude das respostas metabólicas e autonômicas cardíacas durante o exercício resistido dinâmico (ERD) também está associada com a determinação do limiar de anaerobiose (LA), o qual é um importante parâmetro para determinar a intensidade no EPD. Diante disso, não há informações sobre essas respostas metabólicas e autonômicas no ERD, para pacientes com DAC. Adicionalmente, pouco é sabido acerca da avaliação da funcionalidade/incapacidade percebidos por estes pacientes já incluídos em programas formais de RC, podendo ampliar informações para a tomada de decisões neste processo. Portanto, este estudo propõe ampliar o corpo do conhecimento acerca de duas vertentes, sendo uma mais fisiológica e outra abordagem mais ampliada, contendo aspectos bio-psico-sociais, Objetivamos 1) Determinar o LA pela variabilidade da frequência cardíaca (VFC) durante um protocolo de ERD, numa população diagnosticada com DAC, participante de um programa de RC composto somente de EPD; e 2) Aplicar a CIF (Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde), tendo como base a vinculação da mesma com a QV auto-percebida, com o propósito de investigar se o programa formal de RC pode produzir impacto nos desfechos multidemensionais de funcionalidade e incapacidade. Vinte pacientes (idade: 63±7 anos) com DAC (FEVE: 60±10%), apresentando boa capacidade funcional e bom prognóstico, realizaram um protocolo de ERD incremental no leg-press. O protocolo iniciava em 10% de l-RM (repetição maxima), com subsequêntes aumentos de 10% até a exaustão física. A variabilidade da frequência cardíaca (VFC), através dos indices lineares (rMSSD e RMSM) e não-lineares (SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2), bem como o lactato sanguíneo, foram determinados no repouso e durante o ERD. Funcionalidade e incapacidade do grupo foram avaliadas através da aplicação do Processo de Vinculação entre o SF-36 com a CIF. ANOVA para medidas repetidas, análise de Bland-Altman, coeficientes de correlação de Pearson e estatística descritiva foram empregados. Admitiu-se nível de significância de 95%. Foram encontradas significativas alterações na VFC e lactato sanguíneo a partir de 30% de 1-RM (p<0.05). Análise de Bland-Altman revelou boa concordância entre limiar de lactato (LL) e limiar de rMSSD (LrMSSD), e de SD1 (LSD1). As cargas relativas obtidas (a partir de 1-RM) no LL, LrMSSD e LSD1 não diferiram (29%±5; 28%±5; 29%±5, respectivamente). A vinculação entre o SF-36 e a CIF permitiu detalhar uma relação de \"Funções corporais\" e principalmente as \"Atividades e Participações\" acometidas pela doença, bem como o grau de problemas/prejuízo destas, mesmo após o programa de RC. Concluímos que o uso da VFC durante o ERD poderia ser um método não-invasivo viável na prática clínica para determinar o LA em pacientes com DAC, auxiliando na definição de parâmetros de intensidade de exercício seguros e apropriados. Além disso, a funcionalidade e incapacidade de pacientes coronariopatas, percebidos sob o seu próprio ponto de vista, poderiam ser avaliadas utilizando-se o SF-36 sob o escopo da CIF, adicionando informações complementares ao processo da RC. / Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) composed of dynamics purely exercises (DPE) has been strongly recommended for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, resistance training should be included as part of a formal program, since they contribute to promote gains in daily activities and thus the quality of life (QoL). Recent studies have shown that the magnitude of the cardiac, metabolic, and autonomic responses during dynamic resistance exercise (DRE) is associated with the determination of the anaerobic threshold (AT), which is an important parameter to determine the intensity during DPE. Therefore, there is no information about these metabolic and autonomic responses in resistance exercise for patients with CAD. In addition, little is known about the assessment of functioning/disability perceived by these patients already included in formal CR programs, which may extend information for decision-making in this processo Therefore, this study proposes to extend the body in the knowledge of two approaches, with a more physiological and other broader approach, containing bio-psycho-social aspects. We aimed to 1) Determine the A T by heart rate variability (HRV) during an DRE protocol in a population diagnosed with CAD who participated in a CR program with DPE only; and 2) Apply the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), based on the binding of the same with self-perceived QoL (SF-36), in order to investigate whether the formal RC program may have an impact on multidemensionais outcomes of functionality and disability. Twenty men (age: 63±7 years old) with CAD (LVEF: 60±10%), with good functional capacity and good prognosis, underwent a DRE incremental protocol on leg press until maximal exertion. The protocol began at 10% of 1-RM (repetition maximum), with subsequent increases of 10% until maximal exhaustion. Heart rate variability (HRV) indices from Poincaré plots (SD1, SD2, SD1/ISD2) and time domain (rMSSD and RMSM), as well as blood lactate were determined at rest and during PRE. Functioning and disability were assessed by the linking process between the SF-36 and the ICF. ANOVA for repeated measures, Bland-Altman analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and descriptive statistics were used for statistical analysis. The significance level accepted was 95%. Significant alterations in HRV and blood lactate were observed from 30% of 1 RM (p<0.05). Bland- Altman analysis demonstrated a consistent agreement between blood lactate threshold (LT) and rMSSD threshold (rMSSDT) and LT with SD1 threshold (SD1T). Relative values of 1-RM in all LT, rMSSDT and SD1T did not differ (29% ± 5 vs 28% ± 5 vs 29% ± 5, respectively). Finally, the assessment of functioning and disability using the SF-36 and ICF, allowed to list in more detail the \"Body functions\" and especially the \"Activities and Participation\" affected by the disease, as well as the degree of problems/impairments of these aspects, even after the RC program. In conclusion, HRV during DRE could be a feasible noninvasive method in clinical settings to determine AT in CAD patients for planning safe and appropriaje exercise intensities during CR. Moreover, the functioning and disability of coronary patients, perceived under their own point of view, could be assessed using the SF-36 under the scope ofthe lCF, adding supplementary information to the CR process.

Introdução: A incapacidade no idoso é multidimensional, envolvendo aspectos de saúde física, emocional, cognitiva, ambiental e social. Os fatores ambientais têm um impacto importante como facilitadores ou barreiras nas atividades e participação social do idoso, especialmente relacionado ao ambiente de moradia e a capacidade de continuar vivendo no próprio domicilio apesar do envelhecimento (Aging in place). Políticas públicas devem ser pensadas levando a questão do Aging in place em consideração. Objetivos: investigar o impacto dos fatores ambientais na incapacidade de idosos que residem em conjuntos habitacionais verticais de interesse social que não contam com quesitos de acessibilidade como o elevador, sob a perspectiva da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF). Método: Para alcance dos objetivos propostos foi necessário a realização da validação de construto e identificação das propriedades psicométricas e de normatização do WHODAS 2.0- 12 itens para avaliação da incapacidade em idosos brasileiros. Após esta etapa, foi realizada a análise dos fatores ambientais sugeridos pela CIF e reconhecidos por moradores dos conjuntos habitacionais e sua associação com a incapacidade funcional. Os estudos transversais aqui apresentados foram realizados com duas amostras distintas: Amostra 1 para o processo de validação de construto e normatização do WHODAS 2.0 contou com 350 idosos assistidos pelo Centro de referência do Idoso na cidade de São Paulo. Com dados desta amostra foi realizada uma análise fatorial exploratória, confirmatória e teoria de resposta ao item e análise de variância para validação de construto e observação da distribuição dos escores na amostra. Amostra 2 contando com 96 idosos residentes em um conjunto habitacional com 26 edifícios verticais com até 4 andares em Bragança Paulista (SP) para análise do impacto dos fatores ambientais na incapacidade dos idosos. Com os dados desta amostra foi realizada análise de regressão linear multivariada para identificação dos fatores ambientais mais associados ao aumento do escore de incapacidade. Resultados: O WHODAS 2.0, 12 itens apresentou boa adequação das cargas fatorais em um modelo unidimensional somente com 10 itens dos 12 avaliados. A retirada do item 6 (concentrar-se) e 10 (lidar com pessoas estranhas) na análise fatorial exploratória melhorou o desempenho do teste com variância explicada de 70 por cento (x2/df = 2,45; p < 0,001, NNFI = 0,98, CFI = 0,99, GFI = 0,99, RMSEA = 0,06; Alpha de Cronbach = 0,95 e Mc Donald = 0,92). Na análise da associação entre barreiras ambientais e incapacidade observou-se que fatores ambientais como escadas, acesso ao transporte público, ruídos, clima e preconceito reconhecidos como barreira foram associados a um aumento no escore do WHODAS 2.0-BO. Conclusão: A presença de barreiras ambientais como dificuldade de acesso ao transporte público, presença de escadas na entrada da casa, ruídos, condições climáticas adversas e preconceito foram associadas a um aumento no escore de incapacidade, o que pode impedir idosos de continuar vivendo no próprio domicílio na presença de tais barreiras. Políticas públicas deveriam considerar o envelhecimento e as barreiras ambientais identificadas neste estudo para a garantia do Aging in place. / Introduction: Disability in older people is multidimensional with physical, emotional, cognitive, environmental and social aspects. The environmental factors could have an important impact as facilitators or barriers in their activities and social participation, specially related to the habitation and the aging in place. Public housing policies should be made based on aging in place. Objectives: to investigate the impact of environmental factors in disability of older people living in a multi-storey apartment complex building for low-income families with no elevator, by International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) perspective. Method: As a first step to this study purpose, analyses of the psychometric properties and normative data of the WHODAS 2.0- 12 item were necessary to validate this instrument and assess disability in Brazilian older people. After that, the analysis of the environmental factors (as suggested by ICF) recognized by older people living in apartment complex building and their association with disability was done. The cross-sectional studies here presented were done with two different samples: Sample 1 was used to identify the construct validation and normative data of the WHODAS 2.0 12 item. This sample had 350 individuals attending a community based reference center for older people in São Paulo. The construct validity was tested with Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Parallel Analysis, Item Response Theory. Sample 2 was used to analyse the perceived environmental factors and the disability. It had 96 older people living in a multi-storey apartment complex for low income families in Bragança Paulista. The regression linear analysis was done to identify the environmental barriers associated to disability in the older people. Results: The WHODAS 2.0, 12-item version, is a unidimensional scale, and goodness of fit occurs only with 10 items evaluating disability in older people. Withdrawn items 6 (concentration) and 10 (leading with strangers) established an appropriate adjustment, with high and excellent values for all indicators. The explained variance was 70 per cent and confirmatory analysis showed X2/df = 2,45; p < 0,001, NNFI = 0,98, CFI = 0,99, GFI = 0,99, and RMSEA = 0,06; reliability indexes Cronbachs ( = 0.95) and McDonalds ( = 0,92) were adequate. This new version was named WHODAS 2.0-BO (Brazilian version for older people). At the environmental barriers and disability association study was observed the association between perceived barriers as public transportation, stairs, noise, climate and prejudice and disability with the increased WHODAS 2.0-BO score. Conclusion: older people who recognize environmental barriers such as access to public transportation, stairs, noise, adverse climate and prejudice have an increase in disability score, which can prevent them from aging in place. The public policies should consider the aging and the environmental barriers identified by this study in order to assure aging in place.

Participation is a human right. Participation is a complex concept, including a variety of different aspects such as attendance, involvement and engagement. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of participation of individuals with either congenital or acquired communication impairments. A systematic review was carried out, which included 24 studies published between 2010 and 2020. The results showed participation restriction in the following areas: leisure activities, school/work, social networks and communication. Individuals with communication impairments participated in few activities, left the home more rarely and interacted mostly with family members and familiar people. They often had a passive role in communicative contexts. These restrictions affected both individuals with congenital impairments and those with acquired brain injury. Communication is fundamental to participation. Therefore, it is important that speech and language interventions include a focus on communicative aspects that enhance participation. Keywords: participation, communication impairments, congenital impairment, acquired brain injury. / Delaktighet är en mänsklig rättighet. Begreppet är komplext och innefattar en mängd olika aspekter såsom närvaro, involvering och engagemang. Denna magisteruppsats syftade till att undersöka delaktighet hos individer med kommunikations-, språk- och/eller talsvårigheter som beror på antingen medfödd funktionsnedsättning eller förvärvad hjärnskada. En systematisk översikt gjordes och den innefattade 24 studier publicerade mellan åren 2010 och 2020. Resultaten visade att det finns delaktighetsinskränkningar inom områdena fritidssysselsättningar, skola/arbete, sociala nätverk och kommunikation. Individer med kommunikations-, språk- och/eller talsvårigheter deltar i ett begränsat antal aktiviteter, vistas ofta hemma och interagerar mest med familjemedlemmar eller kända personer. De blir ofta passiva i kommunikativa sammanhang. Dessa begränsningar gäller både individer med medfödd funktionsnedsättning och dem med förvärvad hjärnskada. Kommunikation spelar en stor roll för delaktighet, därför är det viktigt att logopedisk intervention inkluderar ett fokus på språkliga aspekter som bidrar till ökad delaktighet. Nyckelord: delaktighet, kommunikationssvårigheter, medfödd funktionsnedsättning, förvärvad hjärnskada.