Article

There is a need to organize rehabilitation and related research into distinct
scientific fields in order to overcome the current limitations of rehabilitation
research. Based on the general distinction in basic, applied and professional
sciences applicable to research in general, and the rehabilitation relevant
distinction between the comprehensive perspective based on WHO's integrative
model of human functioning (ICF) and the partial perspective focusing on the
biomedical aspects of functioning, it is possible to identify 5 distinct
scientific fields of human functioning and rehabilitation research. These are the
emerging human functioning sciences and integrative rehabilitation sciences from
the comprehensive perspective, the established biosciences and biomedical
rehabilitation sciences and engineering from the partial perspective, and the
professional rehabilitation sciences at the cutting edge of research and
practice. The human functioning sciences aim to understand human functioning and
to identify targets for comprehensive interventions, with the goal of
contributing to the minimization of the experience of disability in the
population. The biosciences in rehabilitation aim to explain body injury and
repair and to identify targets for biomedical interventions. The integrative
rehabilitation sciences design and study comprehensive assessments and
interventions that integrate biomedical, personal factor and environmental
approaches suited to optimize people's performance. The biomedical rehabilitation
sciences and engineering study diagnostic measures and interventions suitable to
minimize impairment, including symptom control, and to optimize people's
capacity. The professional rehabilitation sciences study how to provide best care
with the goal of enabling people with health conditions experiencing or likely to
experience disability to achieve and maintain optimal functioning in interaction
with the environment. The organization of human functioning and rehabilitation
research into the 5 distinct scientific fields facilitates the development of
academic training programs and career building as well as the development of
research structures dedicated to human functioning and rehabilitation research.

Langue : ANGLAIS