An exploration of participation in physical activities on the wellbeing of adults with acquired and congenital disabilities

Social workers are advocates for social justice to reduce the inequality gaps that exist in our society. It explores the experiences of adults with disabilities in participating in physical activities through small scale interviews in collaboration with a community-based organisation working with people with disabilities in Cork City. This study is a community-based participatory CARL research project in collaboration with Irish Wheelchair-Sport. IWA-Sport sought the ways to increase participation in their services. Therefore, the research looked at the facilitators to participation from the seven adults with acquired and congenital disabilities that participated in the interviews. This research explores some of the benefits of participating in physical activities on the wellbeing of adults with acquired and congenital disabilities. The research set to answer whether adults with disabilities were aware of the relationship between physical activity and wellbeing. What were the limitations in their participation in physical activities and finally, to what extent was society facilitating and enabling them to participate in physical activities. This study set out to answer these questions by carrying out small-scale, qualitative research through semi-structured interviews with seven adults (male and female) with both acquired and congenital disabilities. The data from the interviews were analysed thematically and several emerging themes from the findings about the multi-layered barriers facing people who use wheel-chairs in the participation in physical activities were established. Four main themes are discussed in the study - accessibility, financial, mind-set, and environment that prohibit people with disabilities from participating in physical activities. The study discusses the conclusions of the lack of participation by females with disabilities, and the role of family. It identifies inaccessible facilities, lack of funding, expensive equipment, as main barriers to participation in physical activities. It recommends taking a social approach to all-inclusive physical activities, increasing awareness, increasing individualised funding, embracing new pathways such as schools and local sport partnerships and increased campaigns for women participation as the main recommendations of the stud