Physical Activity and Public Health among People with Disabilities: Research Gaps and Recommendations

Abstract

Physical activity has become an integral component of public health systems modeling the public health core functions of assessment, policy development, and assurance. However, people with disabilities have often not been included in public health efforts to assess, develop policies, or evaluate the impact of physical activity interventions to promote health and prevent disease among people with disabilities. Addressing the core function of assessment, current physical activity epidemiology, and surveillance among people with disabilities across the globe highlights the paucity of surveillance systems that include physical activity estimates among people with disabilities. The status of valid and reliable physical activity measures among people with condition-specific disabilities is explored, including self-report measures along with wearable devices, and deficiencies in measurement of physical activity. The core functions of policy development and assurance are described in the context of community-based intervention strategies to promote physical activity among people with disabilities. The identification of research gaps in health behavior change, policy, and environmental approaches to promoting physical activity among people with disabilities is explored, along with recommendations based on the principles of inclusive and engaged research partnerships between investigators and the members of the disability community.

Intersectionality of Gender, Race, Class, Sexuality, Disability and Other Social Identities in Shaping the Experiences and Opportunities of Marginalized Groups in Ukraine

“…The results were analyzed into various research gap categories that is conceptual, contextual and methodological gaps Conceptual Gap: Martinez (2017) explored the intersectionality of gender, sexuality, and disability among LGBTQ+ individuals accessing healthcare. While this study provides valuable insights into the compounded barriers faced by LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities, there is a conceptual gap in understanding the specific healthcare needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.…”

“…By highlighting the nuanced interplay of intersecting identities, the study underscored the importance of implementing tailored interventions and support systems, such as culturally responsive pedagogy and equitable resource allocation, to address the unique needs of this population and promote educational equity. Martinez (2017) explored the intersectionality of gender, sexuality, and disability among LGBTQ+ individuals in accessing healthcare services. Their research shed light on the compounded barriers faced by LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities, including discrimination, lack of provider knowledge, and physical accessibility issues within healthcare settings.…”

Appraising the Physical Activity Levels of Saudis with Physical Disabilities: Effects of Disability Type, Mobility Assistive Devices, and Demographic Factors

“…Heath and Levine [40] reported that 20.6-50.0% of adults with disabilities met the WHO guidelines for PA in high-income countries, compared to 23.4-50.0% in low-and middle-income countries. The reported prevalence of PA among individuals without disabilities in high-and low-income nations was estimated to be 50% to 80% [41][42][43].…”

Lumbar Paravertebral Muscle Pain Management Using Kinesitherapy and Electrotherapeutic Modalities

“…This supports the notion that our integrated approach could have multifaceted benefits, addressing both musculoskeletal and cardiovascular aspects. Moreover, high-intensity exercise has been found to reduce pain, disability rate, and psychological stress in PML patients [90,166,167].…”