Revision of Italian disability statistics according to the ICF conceptual and semantic framework.

The new approach suggested by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides an opportunity to address the policies and actions in favour of people with a disability. From a statistics point of view, the ICF represents also a new tool to improve the harmonisation and the comparison between international data across populations and sectors. The Disability Information System (SID) Project started in 2000 following a convention between the current Ministry of Social Solidarity and Istat in implementation of article 41-bis of Law 162/98. The system provides statistical information on disability by integrating and coordinating data sources available on this matter in Italy and establishing new sources that are suitable for making up for the current information gaps. This System has made some steps forward to promote greater integration of the sources, but further efforts must be made in terms of the quality of the data gathered and on the reorganisation and integration of currently available informative flows. The purpose of this article is to analyse the work done in the last decade by the Italian National Institute of Statistics, at national and international level, to adapt the information produced to the developing information needs.