Which organization established the division of labor between PT and OT (via the ICF)?

• A. International Labour Organization established it.
• B. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established it.
• C. World Health Organization (WHO) established it via the ICF.
• D. American Physical Therapy Association established it.

Answer: (C)

The World Health Organization established this division of labor through the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The ICF provides a global framework for describing health, functioning, and disability, and it is widely used to delineate how physical therapists and occupational therapists approach care. In practice, physical therapy tends to emphasize movement, body structures and functions, and impairment-level factors, while occupational therapy focuses more on activities, participation, and enabling independence in daily life. Because the ICF is an international standard developed by WHO, it is the organization behind this conceptual division. The other organizations mentioned—International Labour Organization, CDC, and the American Physical Therapy Association—do not establish this international framework.