241959 Database of Systematic Evidence on Physical Activity and Disability (DOSE-PAD)

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Vijay Vasudevan, MPH , Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Ming-De Chen, MS, OT , Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Mohanraj Thirumalai, MS , Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
James Rimmer, PhD , Occupational Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Background: The lack of evidence-based guidelines in physical activity for people with disabilities makes it extremely difficult for health care providers to recommend specific programs or activities to their patient population. Establishing a database of efficacy and effectiveness studies relating to physical activity and health in people with disabilities is an important first step towards recommending specific guidelines and program adaptations for specific populations. Methods: An ongoing comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify studies between 1950 and 2010 reporting the effects of physical activity on key health outcomes listed in the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans report. The DOSE-PAD (Database of Systematic Evidence on Physical Activity and Disability) was created to examine the effects of exercise trials and systematic reviews specific to people with physical and cognitive disabilities. Results: As of January 2011, 234 exercise training studies and systematic reviews have been entered into the database. The most studied groups by disability are stroke (N=57) and Parkinson's disease (N=30). The least studied groups are traumatic brain injury (N=4) and lower limb loss (N=2). Functional health (N=114) and musculoskeletal health (N=71) were the most reported outcomes, while healthy weight (N=20) and metabolic health (N=7) were the less reported outcomes. Conclusion: DOSE-PAD is a practical tool for public health professionals in providing a comprehensive and efficient way to identify empirical studies that examine the effects of exercise on health in people with disabilities.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will (1) be aware of this comprehensive database and its main searching features, and (2) describe the current evidence on the effects of physical activity interventions by disability groups, study designs, intervention characteristics, and health outcomes.

Keywords: Disability, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a PhD student disability studies and am a Graduate Assistant on this study
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Disability Section Poster Session 2
See more of: Disability