disability

(dis″ă-bil′ĭt-ē)

To hear audio pronunciation of this topic, purchase a subscription or log in.

[¹dis- + ability]
Any physical, mental, or functional impairment that limits a major activity. It may be partial or complete. The definition of disability is controversial. To some experts it refers to any restriction or inability to perform socially defined roles or tasks that are expected of an individual in specific social contexts. Another concept of disability is that it is any restriction or lack of ability to perform tasks or roles in the manner previously considered normal for an individual. Contemporary beliefs of disability recognize that characteristics of the environment interact with an individual’s abilities to determine functional performance. In this view, the presence of disability is not entirely determined by bodily function or impairment.
SYN: SEE: activity limitation; SEE: functional limitation
SEE: death for table; SEE: handicap

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.