The physical activity message preferences of disabled people: a mixed methods study

Abstract

Physical activity for people who identify as disabled is crucial for overall health and wellbeing. Despite this, at this time current physical activity statistics evidence that people who identify as disabled are less likely to perform physical activity than those who do not identify as disabled. People who identify as disabled experience unique barriers that those who do not identify as disabled face, shaped through the medical and social models of disability. Research also sheds light on multiple ways that physical activity information and participation for people who identify as disabled can be improved.


This research explored a gap in the literature by utilising a mixed methods approach as well as encompassing a pragmatic paradigm to investigate and analyse the creation and utilisation of physical activity messages tailored for people with disabilities. The Physical Activity Messaging Framework (PAMF) was employed throughout to create three core research questions; What physical activity information would disabled people want to see within physical activity messages? Who would disabled people want to deliver physical activity messages? Where would disabled people want to see physical activity messages delivered? A total of 130 people participated in the questionnaire, with 12 of these individuals also participating in semi structured interviews that elicited rich in detail qualitative data.


The research found that disability specific information and the benefits of physical activity for disabled people were the top preferences of individuals in regard to the information they would like to see displayed within physical activity messages. Trained and qualified health professionals were identified as the key delivers of physical activity messages and environments where physical activity can be performed was chosen as the best place to receive physical activity messages. This research contributed to the knowledge of physical activity messages and provides analysis and evidence on how physical activity messages should be constructed for people with disabilities.