Determination of Benefits and Disability Situations towards Exercise Participation of Individuals with Disabilities

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the benefits and barriers of adult disabled individuals residing in Istanbul in terms of some variables related to their participation in exercise. To research, 61 women and 85 men with orthopedic (physical) (n=98), visually (n=30) and hearing (n =18) disabilities between the ages of 18-68 a total 146 adult individuals voluntarily participated. In order to evaluate the perceived benefits of disabled people about exercise and the barriers encountered in exercise, “Sechrist et al. “Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale” developed by (1987), together with “A Personal Information Form”. Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale is a 4-point Likert type scale consisting of 43 items with 29 items benefit and 14 items barrier sub-dimensions. The score range for the entire vehicle can range from 43 to 172, and the benefit scale can range from 116 to 29. The score range of the barrier scale varies between 14 and 56, and as the score decreases, the barriers increase. In the research, Kolmogorow-Smirnov and Shapiro tests were used to test the compatibility of the data to normal distribution. In the analysis of the data not showing normal distribution; Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of two independent groups and Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison of three or more groups. Results were evaluated at p<0.05 significance level. The α value of all questions in the scale was found to be 0.87. It is seen that capacity utilization (B_CU)=91.84/116=79.1% in terms of the total BENEFIT of the disabled individuals participating in the research. It is observed that the capacity utilization to total exceed BARRIER's of people with disabilities (O_CU)=33.51/14=2.393 more than times. According to the scoring results of the scale, the research group; on the one hand, it was revealed that they were highly engaged in the benefits of exercise, and on the other hand, they faced some barriers in participation in exercise. Based on this; on the one hand, it was determined that the participants tend to exercise on the one hand, and on the other hand, they encounter difficulties and difficulties caused by both physical and psychological health and some factors such as family, social environment, economy and distance. In the research, it was determined that there were statistically significant differences between the demographic information of the participants between the variables of gender, type of disability, time of disability, level of disability and status of being an athlete and some items of both benefit and barrier scale (p<0.05). As a result, it can be said that although the disabled individuals participating in the study were aware of the benefits of exercise, the personal obstacles they encountered during exercise had a negative effect on their participation in exercise.