Beginning in late 2004, the IOM began a project to take a new look at disability in America. It will review developments and progress since the publication of the 1991 and 1997 Institute reports. For technical contracting reasons, the new project was split into two phases. During the limited first phase, a committee appointed by IOM planned and convened a 1-day workshop to examine a subset of topics as background for the second phase of project. As was agreed upon with the sponsor of the workshop, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the topics were:

• methodological and policy ... Read moreissues related to the conceptualization, definition, measurement, and monitoring of disability and health over time;
• trends in the amount, types, and causes of disability;
• disability across the age spectrum and in the context of normal aging; and
• secondary health conditions.

The phase-one workshop was held in Washington, D.C. on August 1, 2005. Its participants included researchers, clinicians, social service professionals, policy experts, and consumer representatives and advocates. The meeting agenda and list of participants are included in Appendix A. Workshop on Disability in America: A New Look- Summary and Background Papers summarizes the workshop presentations and discussions. The background papers prepared for the workshop are included in Appendixes B through O. Some papers were submitted and circulated in advance of the meeting, whereas others were first presented at the meeting. The analyses, definitions, and views presented in the papers are those of the paper authors and are not necessarily those of the IOM committee. Likewise, the discussion summary is limited to the views of the workshop participants.

• Front Matter
• Introduction
• Summary of Workshop Presentations and Discussions
• Appendix A Workshop Agenda and Participants
• Appendix B Conceptual Models of Disability: Past, Present, and Future--Gale Whiteneck
• Appendix C Defining and Classifying Disability in Children--Rune J. Simeonsson
• Appendix D How Does the Environment Influence Disability? Examining the Evidence--Julie J. Keysor
• Appendix E Late-Life Disability Trends: An Overview of Current Evidence--Vicki A. Freedman
• Appendix F Chronic Disease and Trends in Severe Disability in Working-Age Populations--Jay Bhattacharya, Kavita Choudhry, and Darius Lakdawalla
• Appendix G Trends in Disability in Early Life--Ruth E. K. Stein
• Appendix H Aspects of Disability Across the Life Span: Risk Factors for Disability in Late Life--Jack M. Guralnik
• Appendix I Health Care Transition of Adolescents and Young Adults with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs: New Perspectives--John Reiss and Robert Gibson
• Appendix J Secondary Conditions and Disability--Margaret A. Turk
• Appendix K A User's Perspective on Midlife (Ages 18 to 65) Aging with Disability--June Isaacson Kailes
• Appendix L Impact of Exercise on Targeted Secondary Conditions--James H. Rimmer and Swati S. Shenoy
• Appendix M Secondary Conditions with Spinal Cord Injury--William A. Bauman
• Appendix N Depression as a Secondary Condition in People with Disabilities-Bryan Kemp
• Appendix O Promoting Health and Preventing Secondary Conditions Among Adults with Developmental Disabilities--Tom Seekins, Meg Traci, Donna Bainbridge, Kathy Humphries, Nancy Cunningham, Rod Brod, and James Sherman
• Appendix P Biographical Sketches of Workshop Committee and Workshop Presenters