Navigator Role for Promoting Adaptive Sports and Recreation Participation in Individuals With Disabilities. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2021 Jun 01;100(6):592-598
Date
07/18/2020Pubmed ID
32675707Pubmed Central ID
PMC9552926DOI
10.1097/PHM.0000000000001533Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85106470680 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 4 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to gain a better understanding of the resources, barriers, and facilitators of participation in adaptive sport and recreational activities as a means of achieving physical activity recommendations in individuals with disability and to understand preferences for a patient navigator service to help mitigate the barriers.
DESIGN: Clinical, academic, and community stakeholders applied a community-engaged research approach to develop online surveys and focus group questions for adults with a disability or parents of a child with a disability to meet study objectives.
RESULTS: One hundred ninety-eight adults and 146 parents completed the online surveys. Sixteen adults and 18 parents took part in focus groups. Many participants lacked knowledge of available adaptive sport and recreational resources; other barriers were expense, limited number of trained volunteers, and need for instruction. Conversely, persons were facilitated by community, socialization, and words of encouragement/motivation. Participants strongly preferred a patient navigator to be a person active in adaptive sport and recreational or an informative resource-filled website.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that physical activity programs including adaptive sport and recreational should be designed to offer people with disabilities opportunities to build social networks and strengthen social support. A patient navigator service could help increase participation in adaptive sport and recreational and physical activity within a community context.
Author List
Iverson M, Ng AV, Yan AF, Zvara K, Bonk M, Falk-Palec D, Sylla C, Strickland M, Preston R, Braza DWAuthors
Diane W. Braza MD Chair, Professor in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department at Medical College of WisconsinAlexander V. Ng PhD Associate Professor in the Exercise Science department at Marquette University
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Recreation
Social Participation
Social Support
Sports for Persons with Disabilities
Surveys and Questionnaires
