Issn Print: 0195-9131
Publication Date: 1997/05/01
DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN UNIVERSITY GRADUATES WITH LOCOMOTOR DISABILITIES 106
R. A. Washburn; B. N. Hedrick
Excerpt
The descriptive epidemiology of physical activity (PA) was assessed by mail survey in a sample of 577 University of Illinois graduates (1952-1991) with locomotor disabilities. Demographic information; age, gender, marital status, income and a rating of current and PA levels during college compared to others their age [5 point scale; (1) much less active to (5) much more active] was obtained from 229 alumni (40%) [59 semi-ambulatory (SA), 115 paraplegic (P), 55 quadriplegic (Q), 152 men - 77 women, mean age 53 yrs]. Current PA was associated with mobility limitation. With more severe mobility limitations the percent reporting being less/much less active increased (42.4% SA, 56.5% P, 66.7% Q, p <.001) and the percent reporting being more active decreased (20.3% SA, 16.5% P, 13.0% Q, p <.001). Current PA was lower (p <.05) with increasing age, lower self-rated health, higher disability severity and in those who were sedentary during college. PA did not differ by gender, marital status or household income. Health status was a predictor of current PA in all mobility categories (p <.001) after adjusting for age, gender, income, disability severity and college PA. Among both P and Q, PA during college was associated with current PA (P, p <.001; Q, p <.01). These results document a low level of PA in a well educated sample of individuals with locomotor disabilities and suggests that exposure to PA during college may be important for increasing PA in this population.
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