Promoting Physical Activity Among Children and Adolescents With Disabilities: The Translation of Policy to Practice Internationally

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity among children and adolescents with disabilities (CAWD) is a global public health issue. Policy efforts to promote physical activity (PA) among CAWD have increased. This study summarizes the international policy trend for promoting PA among CAWD, with behavioral and policy insights specific to CAWD from country/regional indicators from the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Matrix on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents to determine policy translation into practice. Methods: International and national PA policy documents on CAWD were assessed. Data from the Global Matrix Para Report Cards on the behavioral and government indicators from 14 countries or regions (grouped by human development index) were reviewed and compared. Results: Policy instruments began promoting PA for CAWD in 1989 via the Convention on the Rights of the Child. International policy has been advocating PA specifically for CAWD recently. In 2020, the World Health Organization published specific PA guidelines for CAWD. Data from the 14 Para Report Car found 14 grades on the average behavioral indicator and 12 on the government indicator. A gap between the average behavioral indicator (D−) and the government indicator (C+) was found in the Para Report Card data. Conclusions: Although international policies are consistent in their attention to the needs of CAWD, national/regional policies vary. Coverage ranges from nonexistent to embedded in broader inclusion concepts. A gap in policies to promote PA of CAWD is prevalent and is more prominent in countries or regions with a lower human development index ranking.

Global Matrix 4.0 Physical Activity Report Card Grades for Children and Adolescents: Results and Analyses From 57 Countries

“…121 In general, children and adolescents with a disability tend to be ignored/overlooked in both PA surveillance initiatives (including in the Global Matrix national Report Cards on PA for children and adolescents) 7 and PA promotion initiatives and policies. 122 Actions are needed in PA research, surveillance, and promotion to develop tools ensuring the valid assessment and study of PA indicators in children and adolescents with a disability and to develop effective PA promotion targeting this specific population.…”

“WOT” Do We Know and Do About Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents With Disabilities? A SWOT-Oriented Synthesis of Para Report Cards

“…For example, the Brazilian team acknowledged the "absence of at least one program/action with main focus on promoting adapted physical activity" (Silva & da Silva, 2022). In contrast, Hong Kong reported "increasing numbers of innovative and evidence-based PA interventions in the community" (Sit, Aubert, et al, 2022;Sit, Huang, et al, 2022). In addition, the Canadian team brought up the issue of quality participation, which should be guiding program leaders, and recommended that measurement of organized sport and PA participation needs to go beyond being "present" in a program and focus on quality participation experiences of CAWD (i.e., that they are actively participating, having fun, and feeling satisfied; Arbour-Nicitopoulos et al, 2022).…”

“…In France, this elite-level athlete inspiration was experienced as an opportunity, generated through the Paralympic movement preparing itself for the forthcoming Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Also, the Hong Kong team reported inspiration coming from the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games (Sit, Aubert, et al, 2022). Paralympic athletes can be seen as role models to CAWD and can change societal attitudes toward people with disabilities (Coates & Vickerman, 2016).…”

Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Global Matrix 4.0—A Resource for Physical Activity Researchers

“…In at least 3 instances, countries took the initiative to publish report card papers specifically focused on children with a chronic disease, a disability, or special education needs. [15][16][17] The AHKGA also strongly supported an independent initiative led by Ng et al 18 to use the Global Matrix framework for evaluating the 10 common physical activity indicators among children and adolescents with a disability or chronic condition from 15 countries or territories across 5 continents.…”