Exercise testing in the assessment of impairment/disability

The chest physician is responsible for the assessment of impairment and disability, as separate entities, in patients with pulmonary disease. The conceptual framework introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) should be formally adopted for the evaluation of impairment (loss of function), disability (reduction in exercise capacity); and, handicap (the impact of the illness on the subject's social life) in claimants with pulmonary …