2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

335830
I Can Do It, You Can Do It!: Empowering People with Disabilities to Lead Healthy, Active Lives


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Lauren Darensbourg, MPH, US Department of Health and Human Services, President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, Rockville, MD
        
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
The lack of participation in physical activity is a serious public health concern for all Americans, but even more so for the approximately 56 million Americans with disabilities who are at a much greater risk for developing serious health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle.  Typically, children and youth with disabilities engage in very little school-based physical activity, less healthy after-school activity, and more sedentary recreations.  The patterns of inactivity in childhood and adolescence lead to higher rates of inactivity, obesity, and other health problems in adulthood.  Physical activity can provide individuals with disabilities the strength and stamina required to participate in all aspects of life actively and successfully.

I Can Do It, You Can Do It! (ICDI) is a health promotion program that partners with K – 12 schools, colleges and universities, and other community-based entities to provide increased access and opportunities for children and adults with disabilities to be healthy and active.  The program employs a mentoring approach to encourage participants to set individualized physical activity and healthy eating goals and earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. Establishment of ICDI in school and community settings has improved access and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilties to be regularly active where the live, learn, and play. This presentation will highlight how to utilize key aspects of the ICDI model to establish programs that help improve health outcomes for children and adults with disabilties. 

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe disparities in physical activity and health faced by individuals with disabilities. Identify how the I Can Do It, You Can Do It! (ICDI) model addresses barriers to physical activity and sports participation for people with disabilities. Formulate ways to use ICDI resources to increase access and opporuntities for people with disabilties to be active in K-12 schools, colleges/universities, and community-based settings.

Keyword(s): Disabilities, Health Promotion and Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Director of I Can Do It, You Can Do It!, and have been a major contributor to developing the program materials, as well as the content for this presentation. I also coordinate over 60 sites that currently implement the model across the country in K-12 schools, colleges/universities, and community-based organizations.
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.

Back to: 3180.0: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for People with Disabilities (organized jointly with the Disability section)