e9Abstracts / Disability and Health Journal 2 (2009) e1ee15

Unmet needs for home and community based services of people with

disabilities in Massachusetts

Monika Mitra, PhD, Office on Health and Disability, Massachusetts

Department of Public Health, Boston, MA

Karen Bogen, PhD, Center for Survey Research, University of

Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA

Anita Albright, Office on Health and Disability, Massachusetts

Department of Public Health, Boston, MA

The 2007 Study of Unmet Needs of Adults with Disabilities in

Massachusetts was a unique effort to examine the unmet needs for home

and community based services of an underserved group: people with

disabilities who fall in the age gap between better served groups (children

under age 18 and older adults over age 60). This study considers the

unmet needs of adults age 18-59 with disabilities from the perspective of

both the consumer and their informal caregiver. The sample came from

the 2007 BRFSS, which identified persons with disabilities in the age

group of interest.

A total of 571 adults with disabilities and 58 caregivers were interviewed

between September and December 2007. The home and community based

services of interest included: need for formal and informal care (4% to

14%), medical and specialty care (19% to 20%), case management

(20%), transportation (17%), and information about services (34%). The

objective of this presentation is to examine the association between the

unmet need for services with general and mental health status, quality of

life measures, and demographic information, including employment

status, living arrangement, and income. Compared to people who did not

have unmet needs for home and community based services, people who

had unmet need for services were more likely to live alone, have lower

income, report having more ADLs and IADLs and fair to poor health

status. These analyses support the importance of investigating the

relationship between access to home and community based services and

health among people with disabilities.

Challenges and opportunities for physical activity among factory

employees who are visually impaired

Eileen C. Miller, BS, Department of Public Health Education, University

of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Robert Aronson, DrPH, Department of Public Health Education,

University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Mark Schulz, PhD, Department of Public Health Education, University of

North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Kimberly D. Miller, MS, Department of Recreation, Tourism and

Hospitality Management, University of North Carolina at Greensboro,

Greensboro, NC

Lori E. Pelletier, BA, Department of Public Health Education, University

of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Introduction: Individuals who are visually impaired are known to be less

physically active and to have higher obesity rates than the general

population; both are stroke risk factors.

Objectives: To identify the economic, social and environmental challenges

and opportunities for physical activity among individuals who are visually

impaired.

Methods: Mixed-methods were used to identify the challenges and

opportunities. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with Industries for

the Blind (IFB) employees and specialists working for Division of

Services for the Blind. Focus group and survey questions were developed

with input from specialists working in inclusive recreation, epidemiology,

anthropology and information technology. Three focus groups of 5-7

employees, determined by time since vision loss (birth/early childhood;

adult O five years, adult!2 years), as well as a company wide web-based

survey designed for use with adaptive technology, were held. Stroke risk

screening data was collected from 159 of 315 employees.

Findings: Prevalence of obesity at IFB was 15% higher and diabetes and

physical inactivity were 4 - 8% higher than among other local employees

screened for stroke risk. Transport was the most often cited barrier to

physical activity. Confidence and mobility may be determined by time

since vision loss and the presence of supportive others.

Conclusion: Where visual impairment intersects with barriers experienced

by all who want to be more active, provision must be made to create

environments that increase accessibility and confidence. Fostering the

community’s reliance on supportive others by training peers to lead health

promotion efforts may increase participation.

Promoting Public Health Guidelines in Physical Activity for People

with Disabilities

James Rimmer, PhD, Disability and Human Development, University of

Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

Ming-De Chen, Department of Disability and Human Development,

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

There is a lack of evidence-based data on the potential impact of physical

activity in achieving certain health outcomes in people with disabilities. We

conducted a systematic review of the literature to examine the evidence on

the effects of physical activity in improving health among people with

disabilities. 139 exercise trials were identified across 11 physical and

cognitive disability subgroups under six categories of health:

Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, Functional, Mental, Healthy Weight

and Metabolic Health, and Secondary Conditions. To determine the

strength of evidence, each health outcome was categorized by level of

evidence according to the following criteria: Strong: O75% of reported

health outcome was significant; Moderate: 50-75% of reported health

outcome was significant; Limited: !50% of studies reported significant

findings. Two or more studies with significant findings on the identified

health outcome were required for classification into the strong or

moderate levels of evidence. Based on this classification scheme, there

was strong evidence among select disability groups on the use of physical

activity in improving cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, functional, and

mental health; moderate evidence for reducing secondary conditions; and

limited evidence for reducing body weight and improving metabolic

health. Promoting public health guidelines in physical activity for people

with disabilities requires a coordinated effort among public health

professionals and federal agencies in identifying evidence-based

interventions that have documented success for improving key outcomes

in select disability groups.

CDC Grant#5U59DD522742; NIDRR grant #H133 B040034

Perspectives of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) on Barriers and

Facilitators to Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Among People

with Intellectual Disabilities (PWID)

Sharon A. Holleran, PhD, Human Development Center, Louisiana State

University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA

Jeanne A. Lunz, MS, Human Development Center, Louisiana State

University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA

Philip Wilson, PhD, Human Development Center, Louisiana State

University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA

Research suggests that PWID demonstrate low levels of physical activity,

unhealthy eating practices, and high levels of overweight/obesity. Health

promotion interventions can reduce morbidity and mortality and increase

quality of life for PWID. The potential role of DSPs in health promotion

interventions for PWID has been understudied. The present study explored

DSP perspectives on barriers, facilitators, and change strategies relevant to

physical activity and healthy eating. Twenty DSPs from the Greater New

Orleans area participated in three 2-hour focus groups. DSPs identified lack

of motivation as the major barrier to physical activity among PWID; social