Generating comprehensive functioning and disability data worldwide: development process, data analyses strategy and reliability of the WHO and World Bank Model Disability Survey

Abstract

Background Data on functioning and disability collected at population level is essential to complement mortality and morbidity, to estimate rehabilitation needs of countries and regions and to monitor the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The objective of this paper is to briefly report the development process of the WHO Model Disability Survey, its data analysis strategy as well as its reliability and ability to measure low to high levels of functioning and disability across countries. Methods The development process is described in detail, and a secondary analysis using Rasch methods is conducted to report reliability and targeting using data from eight national and two regional implementations of the survey. Results The currently available versions of the Model Disability Survey are presented. The survey has good to very good internal reliability and good targeting in all included countries. Conclusion The participatory and evidence-based development, consideration of the expertise of stakeholders, the availability of previously developed ICF-based surveys, and WHO tools targeting functioning and disability are reflected in its good to very good psychometric properties. The survey has been implemented to date in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Chile, Costa Rica, India, Laos, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tajikistan, and is used to inform policy-making, to monitor the CRPD and SDGs and to plan the delivery of rehabilitation services.

Global and regional prevalence of disabilities among children and adolescents: Analysis of findings from global health databases

“…This fact is duly acknowledged by UNICEF and GBD ( 13 , 17 , 21 , 22 ). The ongoing implementation of the MDS tool designed to elicit information on functional limitations and associated health conditions by WHO and the World Bank ( 18 ) is likely to offer a more robust comparative analysis of prevalence estimates in future.…”

“…The WHO and the World Bank Group developed the Model Disability Survey (MDS) tool in 2011 for collecting data on functioning and disability based on ICF framework ( 18 ). It is primarily designed as a standalone household survey for adults, with a shorter version to be integrated in health and other population surveys to readily facilitate the continuous monitoring of functioning and disability in a region or a country.…”

Demographic and environmental factors associated with disability in India, Laos, and Tajikistan: a population-based cross-sectional study

“…The MDS was designed to be administered to a general population sample without pre-screening of participants in order to understand the distribution of the population on the disability continuum. The MDS has been piloted, validated, and implemented on a national and regional scale in countries around the world, including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Chile, Costa Rica, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka [ 12 ]. For this study, the core modules of the MDS were condensed into a brief version (Brief MDS or B-MDS), which can be administered as a short ten- to fifteen-minute disability module as a part of other population surveys [ 13 ].…”

Functioning Problems Associated with Health Conditions with Greatest Disease Burden in South Africa: A Scoping Review

“…This may result in under-identifying or underreporting of functioning problems. The World Bank Model Disability Survey (MDS), while more comprehensive, is quite new and to date has not been implemented in South Africa [ 24 ]. Country-level planning is often based on the GBD studies estimates of disability at country and global levels [ 24 ].…”

“…The World Bank Model Disability Survey (MDS), while more comprehensive, is quite new and to date has not been implemented in South Africa [ 24 ]. Country-level planning is often based on the GBD studies estimates of disability at country and global levels [ 24 ]. However, a gap exists in detailed descriptions of the functioning problems required to plan rehabilitation services.…”