Physical Activity Patterns Among U.S. Adults With Disabilities

Purpose: To characterize physical activity patterns among people with disabilities using data from a nationally representative health survey.

Method: Individual-level data came from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2011 survey. Pearson’s chi-squared tests were conducted to assess the difference in the proportion distribution of individual characteristics between each of the 4 disability categories and the population without disability. Conditional on their statistical significance, 2 sample proportion tests were performed on individual demographics including gender, age group, and race/ethnicity.

Results: Compared to people without disabilities, the prevalence of physical inactivity was substantially higher among people with disabilities. Walking and gardening were the most common physical activities among people with disabilities. Physical activity patterns varied significantly across gender, age, race/ethnicity, and disability categories.

Conclusion: Ecological interventions to promote physical activity engagement in people with disabilities should be mindful of the feasibility, acceptability, and accessibility for this specific and particularly vulnerable population.