The extent to which a physical or mental disability interferes with normal functioning and causes the person to be disadvantaged.
A disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex and social and cultural practice) for that individual. The term handicap thus reflects interaction with, and adaptation to, the individual’s surroundings. See also “disability”; “impairment”.
The inability to carry out a social, occupational or other activity that could normally be done by a person without such a handicap. The handicap may be partial or complete, physical or mental, and may result from disease, injury or inherited disorder. The extent of the handicap is measured against the normal function of those in a peer group. The impairment may be functionally rather than physically based, in which case the affected person may not always be aware of it until revealed by a clinical examination. Considerable government and voluntary community e?orts have been made to lessen the day-to-day diffculties of living faced by disabled people. Increasingly, public buildings, houses and vehicles are being modi?ed to ensure that these are user-friendly to such individuals. The health and social-work professions also contribute to reducing the impact of handicaps on the affected individuals.
n. the extent to which an individual is disadvantaged by some partial or total *disability when compared with those in a peer group who have no such disability. The term has now fallen into disfavour as it is felt to have negative connotations
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