Association of Socio-Demographic Factors and Social Determinants of Health with Physical Activity Level in Patients with Disabilities

Abstract

Background: Regular exercise has been shown to improve health outcomes and an important component of preventative medicine. The CDC has shown that patients with disabilities get less regular exercise than patients without disabilities. Identifying groups with low physical activity levels, such as patients with disabilities, and the barriers to physical activity can guide policy and decision making to improve health outcomes. This study examined associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and physical activity levels.

Methods: This retrospective study focused on patients with disabilities admitted at 3 urban hospitals in Northwest Indiana between January 2021 and April 2024. SDOH were screened and participants were selected based on CDC’s disability categories (Cognitive, Mobility, Vision, Hearing, Independent Living, and Self Care). Physical activity level was based on exercise minutes per week: Inactive (IA)=0 minutes, Insufficiently Active (ISA)=<150 minutes, and Sufficiently Active (SA)=150+ minutes.

Results: 705 patients with disabilities with recorded physical activity levels were identified. No significant differences were found in physical activity levels between disability categories. The IA group differed significantly from both SA and ISA groups in Age Group, Social Connections Risk, and Length of Stay (p=<0.01). The SA and ISA groups showed significant difference in Financial Resource Risk (p=.045). Regression Analysis showed an increased risk for physical inactivity as Age increased (p=<.001), as well as patients with public insurance compared to private (p=0.02).

Conclusion: Age is a common risk factor for reduced physical and the association of lower physical activity with Financial Resource Risk and Social Connections Risk is not novel, but further studies using larger samples may offer insight for future interventions. Future research would benefit from more specific physical activity data from patients with disabilities that may also give insight into adaptive interventions to improve exercise levels in this population.