Physical activity participation among persons with disabilities: barriers and facilitators.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to identify various barriers and facilitators associated with participation in fitness and recreation programs/facilities among persons with disabilities. METHODS Focus groups were conducted in ten regions across the United States in 2001 to 2002 with four types of participants: (1) consumers with disabilities, (2) architects, (3) fitness and recreation professionals, and (4) city planners and park district managers. Sessions were tape-recorded and content analyzed; focus group facilitators took notes of identified barriers and facilitators to access. RESULTS Content analysis of tape recordings revealed 178 barriers and 130 facilitators. The following themes were identified: (1) barriers and facilitators related to the built and natural environment; (2) economic issues; (3) emotional and psychological barriers; (4) equipment barriers; (5) barriers related to the use and interpretation of guidelines, codes, regulations, and laws; (6) information-related barriers; (7) professional knowledge, education, and training issues; (8) perceptions and attitudes of persons who are not disabled, including professionals; (9) policies and procedures both at the facility and community level; and (10) availability of resources. CONCLUSIONS The degree of participation in physical activity among people with disabilities is affected by a multifactorial set of barriers and facilitators that are unique to this population. Future research should utilize this information to develop intervention strategies that have a greater likelihood of success.

[1]  A. King,et al.  Theoretical approaches to the promotion of physical activity: forging a transdisciplinary paradigm. , 2002, American journal of preventive medicine.

[2]  Donald R. Miller,et al.  Barriers, facilitators, and access for wheelchair users: substantive and methodologic lessons from a pilot study of environmental effects. , 2002, Social science & medicine.

[3]  James F Sallis,et al.  How the environment shapes physical activity: a transdisciplinary research agenda. , 2002, American journal of preventive medicine.

[4]  J. Rimmer,et al.  Barriers to exercise in African American women with physical disabilities. , 2000, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[5]  G. Neuberger,et al.  Determinants of Exercise and Aerobic Fitness in Outpatients with Arthritis , 1994, Nursing research.

[6]  B. Giles-Corti,et al.  Socioeconomic status differences in recreational physical activity levels and real and perceived access to a supportive physical environment. , 2002, Preventive medicine.

[7]  A. Manley.  Physical Activity And Health: A Report Of The Surgeon General , 2004 .

[8]  J. Rimmer.  Health Promotion for Individuals with Disabilities , 2002 .

[9]  P. Corso,et al.  The effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity. A systematic review. , 2002, American journal of preventive medicine.

[10]  Accessibility of Fitness Facilities for Persons with Physical Disabilities Using Wheelchairs , 2000 .

[11]  A. Leon,et al.  Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health: A National Consensus , 1997 .

[12]  J. Rimmer,et al.  Health promotion for people with disabilities: the emerging paradigm shift from disability prevention to prevention of secondary conditions. , 1999, Physical therapy.

[13]  D L Patrick,et al.  Correlates of exercise maintenance among people with mobility impairments. , 1999, Disability and rehabilitation.

[14]  A. Bauman,et al.  Perceptions of the Physical Environment, Stage of Change for Physical Activity, and Walking among Australian Adults , 2002, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[15]  Richard A. Krueger,et al.  Analyzing and Reporting Focus Group Results , 1997 .

[16]  A. Bauman,et al.  Toward a better understanding of the influences on physical activity: the role of determinants, correlates, causal variables, mediators, moderators, and confounders. , 2002, American journal of preventive medicine.

[17]  N. Owen,et al.  Environmental factors associated with adults' participation in physical activity: a review. , 2002, American journal of preventive medicine.

[18]  B. Cardinal,et al.  ADA Compliance and the Accessibility of Physical Activity Facilities in Western Oregon , 2003, American journal of health promotion : AJHP.

[19]  B. Giles-Corti,et al.  The relative influence of individual, social and physical environment determinants of physical activity. , 2002, Social science & medicine.

[20]  G. Heath,et al.  Physical activity among persons with disabilities--a public health perspective. , 1997, Exercise and sport sciences reviews.

[21]  E. McAuley,et al.  Promoting physical activity among older adults: from ecology to the individual. , 2003, American journal of preventive medicine.

[22]  Tom Seekins,et al.  Health promotion for people with chronic illness and physical disabilities: the connection between health psychology and disability prevention , 1998 .

[23]  J. Sallis,et al.  Assessing perceived physical environmental variables that may influence physical activity. , 1997, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[24]  Stella M. Yu.  Healthy People 2010 , 1998, Maternal and Child Health Journal.

[25]  A. Dunn,et al.  Lifestyle physical activity interventions. History, short- and long-term effects, and recommendations. , 1998, American journal of preventive medicine.