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NCHPAD - Building Healthy Inclusive Communities

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Research Issues and Recommendations


The major epidemiological studies that have been completed over the last few years demonstrating the enormous health benefits derived from physical activity have not incorporated persons with disabilities into their research designs. This is unfortunate, because there is currently no evidence that physical activity can achieve the same benefits in persons with physical and mental disabilities, nor is there any evidence that physical activity can mitigate an already established disorder or prevent secondary complications such as coronary heart disease, Type II diabetes, and obesity. Thus, in general, we still know very little about the type of exercise programs that can enhance functional capacity and lower the rate of secondary complications in persons with disabilities.

The major question that must be addressed in future research is, what are the long-term outcomes of physical activity for persons with disabilities? Other questions include: What are the activity patterns of persons with physical and mental disabilities? Do they exercise as often as nondisabled individuals of the same age and gender? Do they require adaptive exercise equipment? DO they join fitness centers and health clubs? Do they believe that fitness should be an important part of their lives?

Since there is great diversity among persons with disabilities - some have a mild disability while others have a severe disability, some are intellectually limited while others are physical impaired, some are old and some are young, some live in institutions and others live alone, in small groups, or with their families - it is important for researchers to study persons with a specific type of disability in a specific environment so that conclusions and recommendations can be made for persons specific to their particular capabilities. For example, do persons with intellectual disability have a different physical activity profile than persons with mental illness? Are young adults with Down syndrome more or less active than individuals with intellectual disability who do not have Down syndrome? Do persons with spina bifida, a congenital disorder, have different activity patterns compared with individuals who have sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury, an acquired disorder? A research agenda must focus on persons with a specific disability and within that disability, subcategories of disabilities may be needed to differentiate persons based on the length of their disability, age of onset, and severity of the condition.


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