3098.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - 2:45 PM

Abstract #4046

Health Promotion Workshop Attendance of Women with Mobility Disabilities

M.A. Turk, MD, J. Scandale, MS, CRC, CCM, P.F. Rosenbaum, PhD, and R.J. Weber, MD. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, 315-464-5820, TurkM@hscsyr.edu

Health Promotion Workshop Attendance of Women with Mobility Disabilities. M.A. Turk, J. Scandale, P.F. Rosenbaum, R.J. Weber (SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210)

Project W.E.A.L.T.H., a health promotion study for women with mobility disabilities, offered a workshop series as a component of its health behavior change plan. Five health promotion workshops were offered across a fifteen month period. Topics, selected by participants through focus group meetings, included Nutrition, Exercise, Self-defense, Self-advocacy and Aging with a disability. The project provided transportation, centrally located accessible facilities, catering, and child care. Newsletters were used to alert women to upcoming workshops and to remain in touch over the course of the study. Feedback was encouraged through telephone, fax, e-mail, and ground mail access. Evaluations were distributed at the end of each workshop; responses indicated satisfaction with the content and format. Of the 79 women in the study, 51 attended at least one workshop; seven attended all five. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to assess the association between attendance (none, 1-2 sessions, 3 or more) and demographics, disability type, age at onset, health perception, social support, functional level, health promoting lifestyle, and secondary conditions (e.g., pain, bladder/bowel problems). In contrast to findings reported in the literature for nondisabled groups, none of the factors were significantly (p<0.05) associated with workshop attendance. Anecdotal reports from women indicated that family difficulties, family events (e.g., weddings), vacations, ill-health and conflicting commitments were responsible for the lack of attendance. Other factors affecting attendance remain unknown.

Learning Objectives: Attendees will gain insight into the workshop component of a health promotion study

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA