Measuring Disability Among Migrants with Washington Group Tools: Reflections for Field Use

Overview

Journal Healthcare (Basel)

Specialty Health Services

Date 2022 Oct 27

PMID 36292309

Authors

Marco Tofani

Giovanni Galeoto

Anna Berardi

Silvia Iorio

Antonella Conte

Giovanni Fabbrini

Donatella Valente

Maurizio Marceca

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Measuring disability among migrants is a significant challenge; however, there is no consensus on how to measure disability and functional limitations. The present study reports a methodological approach to measure disability in refugees and asylum seekers using Washington Group (WG) tools, namely the WG Short Set (WG-SS), the Short Set Enhanced (WG-SS-E), and the Extended Set on Functioning (WG-ES). We interviewed 161 migrants in different regions of Italy. The recommended threshold for each WG tool was used. We identified 13.7% of migrants with disabilities using the WG-SS, 21.7% using the WG-SS-E, and 31.6% using the WG-ES. Anxiety and depression were the main weights to identify migrants with disabilities (11.8%). The WG-SS does not measure mental health, and therefore we do not suggest its use in the field. However, the WG-SS-E, together with some questions on pain and fatigue, should be considered to identify migrants with a greater risk of disability.

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