01540nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002600055653001100081653002400092653001100116653001200127653000900139653003200148653003000180653003000210100001500240700001800255245005300273856005100326300001100377490000700388050001900395520083400414022001401248       2003                            d  c2003 Dec10aDisability Evaluation10aFemale10aGuidelines as Topic10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aSensitivity and Specificity10aSeverity of Illness Index10aWorld Health Organization1 aBrandsma W1 avan Brakel WH00aWHO disability grading: operational definitions.  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/article/74/4/36-6373  a366-730 v74  aBRANDSMA 2003A3 a<p>The WHO disability grading has been in use for many years. Its main use has been as an indicator for early case detection/reporting. More recently, the WHO grading has also been used as a change indicator of impairments for patients while on treatment. In such instances, the individual scores for eyes hand, and feet are added to obtain the so-called EHF sum score. A major drawback in the use of the grading system has been the lack of operational definitions of the descriptions for the grades. This may result in data and results of comparisons of data across programs and countries being flawed. The paper discusses the WHO grading in the light of its dual use: as an indicator for early case detection and as an indicator for change in impairments. The paper presents operational definitions for the grading options.</p>  a0305-7518