Start Date
18-6-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
18-6-2025 10:30 AM
Abstract
Introduction Participation in sport is a vital contributor to health, social inclusion, and quality of life1. Despite growing awareness, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to full participation. This study explores trends in sport-participation among individuals representing diverse disability groups in Flanders, including physical, visual and hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, autism, chronic diseases, and mental-health disorders. Based on a comparison with the 2018 baseline study2, time-trend changes in participation are highlighted, as well as emerging preferences for specific contexts and sport-activities, and disparities across subgroups, socio-economic status (SES), and impairment levels.
Methodology An electronic survey was conducted through Qualtrics with 1,341 eligible participants aged 6-80 years. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to identify significant trends and disparities.
Results Participation rates improved since 20182, with 68.5% of the participants who practiced sports at least once in the previous year and 64.5% at least weekly. The increase was driven in part by a marked increase in engagement with non-organized sport-contexts. Activities such as recreational walking, cycling, and home-based exercises were practiced most. Despite the progress, a significant participation gap persists between subgroups such as people with chronic disease (46% weekly active) and compared to people without disabilities (88% yearly active). Individuals with more severe impairments and lower SES reported lower participation rates.
Conclusions The results underscore the importance of flexible and accessible options for fostering inclusion. Persistent disparities highlight the need for targeted policies that address barriers and promote equity. These findings align with ISAPA 2025’s focus on advancing inclusive participation in APA.
References 1Eather, N., Wade, L., Pankowiak, A., & Eime, R. (2023). The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: a systematic review and the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model. Systematic Reviews, 12, 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02264-8
2Scheerder J., Vanlandewijck Y., Van Biesen D., Cans E., Lenaerts L. Meganck A.-S., Cornelissen J. (2018). Onderzoek naar de actieve sportdeelname van personen met een beperking in Vlaanderen en het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest: Een nulmeting. Onderzoeksgroep Sport- & Bewegingsbeleid en Onderzoeksgroep Aangepaste Bewegingsactiviteiten & Psychomotorische Revalidatie, KU Leuven. https://www.gsportvlaanderen.be/uploads/documents/G-sportparticipatie_nulmeting-volledig-onderzoek.pdf
Recommended Citation
Van Biesen, Debbie; pineda, Roi charles; Dewaelle, Silke; and Scheerder, Jeroen, "Bridging the gaps: trends and disparities in sport participation among people with disabilities, mental health disorders and chronic diseases in Flanders, Belgium" (2025). International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness. 12.
https://sword.mtu.ie/isapa/2025/day3/12
Bridging the gaps: trends and disparities in sport participation among people with disabilities, mental health disorders and chronic diseases in Flanders, Belgium
Introduction Participation in sport is a vital contributor to health, social inclusion, and quality of life1. Despite growing awareness, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to full participation. This study explores trends in sport-participation among individuals representing diverse disability groups in Flanders, including physical, visual and hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, autism, chronic diseases, and mental-health disorders. Based on a comparison with the 2018 baseline study2, time-trend changes in participation are highlighted, as well as emerging preferences for specific contexts and sport-activities, and disparities across subgroups, socio-economic status (SES), and impairment levels.
Methodology An electronic survey was conducted through Qualtrics with 1,341 eligible participants aged 6-80 years. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to identify significant trends and disparities.
Results Participation rates improved since 20182, with 68.5% of the participants who practiced sports at least once in the previous year and 64.5% at least weekly. The increase was driven in part by a marked increase in engagement with non-organized sport-contexts. Activities such as recreational walking, cycling, and home-based exercises were practiced most. Despite the progress, a significant participation gap persists between subgroups such as people with chronic disease (46% weekly active) and compared to people without disabilities (88% yearly active). Individuals with more severe impairments and lower SES reported lower participation rates.
Conclusions The results underscore the importance of flexible and accessible options for fostering inclusion. Persistent disparities highlight the need for targeted policies that address barriers and promote equity. These findings align with ISAPA 2025’s focus on advancing inclusive participation in APA.
References 1Eather, N., Wade, L., Pankowiak, A., & Eime, R. (2023). The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: a systematic review and the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model. Systematic Reviews, 12, 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02264-8
2Scheerder J., Vanlandewijck Y., Van Biesen D., Cans E., Lenaerts L. Meganck A.-S., Cornelissen J. (2018). Onderzoek naar de actieve sportdeelname van personen met een beperking in Vlaanderen en het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest: Een nulmeting. Onderzoeksgroep Sport- & Bewegingsbeleid en Onderzoeksgroep Aangepaste Bewegingsactiviteiten & Psychomotorische Revalidatie, KU Leuven. https://www.gsportvlaanderen.be/uploads/documents/G-sportparticipatie_nulmeting-volledig-onderzoek.pdf