2023 AHS Distinguished Lecturer Series—Dr. Travis T. Threats
Distinguished Lecturer Series
Dr. Travis T. Threats, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Saint Louis University
About the Presentation
Differences versus Disparities: Use of the WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Framework to Critically Evaluate Health Outcomes
In looking at different populations, it is important to distinguish between differences and disparities. With a differences orientation we look at the population’s own perceived strengths and areas of wanted improvement. With the disparities orientation, we view the “winners” and “losers” of “the system.” Looking at aggregate group differences also obscures the wide within group variation a given population. Thus, even disparities research and thought can have implicit biases. In this presentation, the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) will be used as a framework and classification system to take a more comprehensive and person-centered view of the wide variety of health indicators within any given population.
About Dr. Threats
Travis T. Threats, Ph.D. is Professor and Chair of the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at Saint Louis University. His primary scholarly work has been with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). He has been the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) representative liaison to the WHO since 1999. He has worked on other projects for WHO including the disability sections of the ICD-11. Dr. Threats has also published and presented internationally on his three other scholarly interests: spirituality/religiosity in rehabilitation, evidence-based practice, and rehabilitation ethics. Dr. Threats is an ASHA Fellow and ASHA 2012 recipient of the Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in International Achievement. He is a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice. In 2022, he was awarded Honors of the Association by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the highest honor given by ASHA.