The problem of functional assessment: political and economic perspectives.

I ndustrialized counrries have long accerted the need 10 provide various suppons for people with disabilities. The common inrerest is to I'elate the benefits received by the person with a disability to a medical impairmenr and to the limitations the impairment places on function in the workplace. The purpose of this anicle is to discuss some of the inrernational and American approaches to the evaluation of functional abilities and 10 the economic and political programs designed to meet the needs of reople with disabilities, especially workers and their derendents. It is clear that no universal agreement exists regarding the most valid and reliable approaches to functional assessment. Occupational therapists' understanding of this field and future input inlO functional assessment may heir to advance, nationally and international1\', systems that will betler match assessmenr of disabling conditions with service programs.