Many disabled people want to be more active. How can we make that happen?
Following the spectacle that was the Paris 2024 Olympics, and as we are glued to the Paralympics now, Ben Thatcher says more needs to be done to identify and remove the barriers to sports participation for disabled people.
Fewer than half of disabled adults (or those with long-term health conditions) meet the government’s recommended guidelines for physical activity, meaning 52% of disabled adults in England are categorised as ‘inactive’, according to the latest research from Sport England.
Taking part in sport and physical exercise brings a host of benefits. Sport England’s current strategy, ‘Uniting the Movement’ articulates 5 outcomes for sport and physical activity, which focus on the gains for individuals and wider society:
Delivering benefits for physical health;
Improved mental wellbeing and self-esteem, increased happiness and life satisfaction;
Effecting lifelong skills and benefits including increased educational attainment, better interpersonal skills and improved job opportunities;
Connecting people and strengthening communities, increasing social trust and engendering a sense of belonging; and
Bringing value to the national economy through job opportunities, a healthy workforce and contributions to GDP.
Increasing participation in physical exercise across society is seen by the government as a key way to reduce the incidence and severity of major health and societal issues that put ever-increasing pressure on our health and other public services. At a time when we are experiencing arguably unprecedented health, social and economic challenges, the role of sport becomes even more important.
The UK’s Chief Medical Officers publish guidelines on the amount of exercise individuals should take to get maximum benefit. The guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week for adults.
While 63% of all adults in England are ‘active’ in accordance with these guidelines, Sport England’s latest research found this is true of only 48% of disabled adults, or those with long-term health conditions. Compare this to those without a disability or health condition, amongst whom the proportion that are physically active stands at 69%. Worse still, only 41% of adults with three or more impairments meet the physical activity guidelines.
On the upside, the proportion of disabled people and those with long-term conditions classed as active has increased gently over the last 7 years from 44% in 2016 to 48% at the end of 2023.
How do we get more disabled people to participate?
Clearly the barriers that disabled people face when it comes to taking part are different to those experienced by their non-disabled peers. These are not just logistical issues meaning that, for example, accessing sporting venues can be difficult for a wheelchair user. Barriers include a lack of suitable activity provision for people with physical, sensory, or other conditions, and likely a lack of opportunities local to them.
The cost of taking part may be a concern too, given that the financial circumstances of disabled people are often complex. And psychological barriers exist including concerns over finding people of a similar standard to play sport with, self-confidence, and concerns over the attitudes of others towards disabled people.
Further research is needed to fully understand the barriers faced by disabled people and those with long-term health conditions and impairments when it comes to participating in sport and physical recreation. As well, we would benefit from a deeper understanding of disabled people’s motivators and desired goals from sport and exercise. In this respect, disabled people should not be seen as one homogeneous group. After all, there are a myriad different disabilities and health conditions, and these are likely to present their own specific barriers and challenges, particularly when they co-occur. These disabilities and conditions combine with other personal characteristics too; we must be mindful of such intersectionality when undertaking any research.
OK, there are barriers. But what about the benefits?
A plethora of research data consistently demonstrates the physical health benefits of being active. But there is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that mental health is positively influenced by taking the recommended level of exercise.
According to Sport England’s latest Active Lives Survey data active adults report a higher level of life satisfaction compared with those who take little or no exercise. They report being happier too. These findings are no less true for disabled people or people with long-term health conditions.
However, some of the benefits of sports participation for disabled people may differ from the population as a whole. This group often reports the importance of being able to ‘do things with friends and family’ and cites sport as being the factor that gets them ‘out of the house’. It would also seem that the social aspect of taking part with others is of particular importance for disabled people, as this allows them to make new friends and expand social circles.
More than for non-disabled people perhaps, taking part in exercise gives disabled people a sense of empowerment.
Opportunities for everyone
If the government is to fulfil its ambition of making sport and physical activity a key catalyst for social and health change, it needs to ensure that opportunities to get active – and to stay active – are made available to anyone and everyone, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, age, disability status, or any other factor.
More needs to be done to tailor these opportunities to individuals’ needs, making sure that participating is attractive, easy and fun. We need to get the offer right – removing any barriers and offering the benefits that people seek. This is especially true for those with impairments or disabilities.
Ben is Qualitative Research Director at M.E.L Research. We are dedicated to undertaking social research with clients that want to make a real difference to society, specialising in research with marginalised populations, minority groups and those whose views often get overlooked in the research process. We firmly believe that, in the world of research and evaluation, the principles of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are not just ethical imperatives but also critical components that drive excellence and innovation.
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