Physical Disabilities

Improving the health and health behaviors of women aging with physical disabilities: A peer-led health promotion program.

December 1, 2006
BY: Robinson-Whelen S, Hughes RB, Taylor HB, Colvard M, Mastel-Smith B, Nosek MA.
Center for Research on Women with Disabilities, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. susanrw@bcm.tmc.edu Womens Health Issues. 2006 Nov-Dec;16(6):334-45.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of a health promotion program for women aging with physical disabilities. METHOD: A sample of 137 middle-aged and older women with physical disabilities was randomly assigned to either an 8-week health promotion program or to a wait-list control group. Both groups completed questionnaires before, immediately after, and 3 months after… Read More »»

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Improving the health and health behaviors of women aging with physical disabilities: A peer-led health promotion program.

December 1, 2006
BY: Robinson-Whelen S, Hughes RB, Taylor HB, Colvard M, Mastel-Smith B, Nosek MA. Center for Research on Women with Disabilities, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. susanrw@bcm.tmc.edu Womens Health Issues. 2006 Nov-Dec;16(6):334-45.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of a health promotion program for women aging with physical disabilities. METHOD: A sample of 137 middle-aged and older women with physical disabilities was randomly assigned to either an 8-week health promotion program or to a wait-list control group. Both groups completed questionnaires before, immediately after, and 3 months after… Read More »»

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Home modification.

October 1, 2006
BY: McCullagh MC. North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA. marjorie.mccullagh@ndsu.edu Am J Nurs. 2006 Oct;106(10):54-63; quiz 63-4.

Almost 50 million Americans–about one in five–live with a mental or physical disability, many in homes that are inconvenient, restrictive, or dangerous for them. Modifying the home using universal (barrier-free) design, architectural accessibility, and other such concepts can reduce the risk of falls and improve overall function. Nurses can be involved by assessing patients’ living… Read More »»

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Evaluation of a community-based group fitness program for children with disabilities.

July 1, 2006
BY: Fragala-Pinkham MA, Haley SM, Goodgold S. Research Center for Children With Special Needs, Franciscan Hospital for Children, Brighton, Massachusetts, USA. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2006 Summer;18(2):159-67.

PURPOSE: This study examined the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of a community-based group fitness program for children with disabilities. METHODS: Twenty-eight children with neuromuscular and developmental disabilities, 6 to 14 years of age, participated. The 16-week community-based program, held twice weekly, consisted of strengthening, aerobic conditioning, and flexibility exercises. A pretest-posttest design was used, and… Read More »»

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Measurement of participation in myotonic dystrophy: reliability of the LIFE-H.

March 20, 2006
BY: Gagnon C, Mathieu J, Noreau L. Centre for Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Rehabilitation Institute of Quebec City, Que., Canada. cynthia.gagnon.1@ulaval.ca Neuromuscul Disord. 2006 Apr;16(4):262-8. Epub 2006 Mar 20.

Person-perceived social participation is an important aspect to measure in rehabilitation in neuromuscular disorders. The objective was to document the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-H), in a sample of individuals with myotonic dystrophy (DM1). Twenty-eight participants with myotonic dystrophy aged between 29 and 75 years (mean: 52.7) were recruited.… Read More »»

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Secondary conditions in a community-based sample of women with physical disabilities over a 1-year period.

March 1, 2006
BY: Nosek MA, Hughes RB, Petersen NJ, Taylor HB, Robinson-Whelen S, Byrne M, Morgan R. Center for Research on Women with Disabilities, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. mnosek@bcm.tmc.edu Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006 Mar;87(3):320-7.

OBJECTIVE:   To examine prevalence and predictors of secondary conditions in women with physical disabilities. DESIGN:   Cross-sectional. SETTING:   Women were recruited through private and public health clinics and various community organizations. PARTICIPANTS:   A sample of 443 predominantly ethnic minority women with physical disabilities. INTERVENTIONS:  Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:   Health Conditions Checklist interference score. RESULTS:   Aggregated… Read More »»

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A fitness program for children with disabilities.

November 1, 2005
BY: Fragala-Pinkham MA, Haley SM, Rabin J, Kharasch VS. Research Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs, Franciscan Hospital for Children, 30 Warren St, Boston, MA 02135, USA. mfragala@fchrc.org Phys Ther. 2005 Nov;85(11):1182-200.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This case report describes a fitness program for children with disabilities and provides preliminary information about the safety and feasibility of the program. CASE DESCRIPTION: Nine children, 5 to 9 years of age with physical or other developmental disabilities, participated in a 14-week group exercise program held 2 times per week followed… Read More »»

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Physical disability and obesity.

October 1, 2005
BY: Liou TH, Pi-Sunyer FX, Laferrère B. New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, Institute of Human Nutrition, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA. Nutr Rev. 2005 Oct;63(10):321-31.

Nearly 20% of US citizens are disabled. Epidemiologic studies have shown that people with physical disabilities have a 1.2- to 3.9-fold increase in obesity prevalence. Obesity is becoming a serious problem in disabled individuals. The mechanisms by which obesity occurs in people with physical disabilities is not clear, but pathophysiological changes of body composition and… Read More »»

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Six-month and one-year followup of 23 weeks of aerobic exercise for individuals with fibromyalgia.

December 15, 2004
BY: Gowans SE, Dehueck A, Voss S, Silaj A, Abbey SE. University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Dec 15;51(6):890-8.

OBJECTIVE: To measure mood and physical function of individuals with fibromyalgia, 6 and 12 months following 23 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise. METHODS: This is a followup report of individuals who were previously enrolled in 23 weeks of land-based and water-based aerobic exercise classes. Outcomes included the 6-minute walk test, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait… Read More »»

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Lifestyle physical activity for individuals with spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

April 1, 2004
BY: Warms CA, Belza BL, Whitney JD, Mitchell PH, Stiens SA. School of Nursing, Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-7266, USA. cwarms@u.washington.edu Am J Health Promot. 2004 Mar-Apr;18(4):288-91.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a lifestyle physical activity program for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Sixteen nonexercising adult volunteers with SCI participated in a single group pre-post-test of the “Be Active in Life Program” comprising stage-matched educational materials, home visit by a nurse, construction of a personal plan to… Read More »»

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