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The technical quality of online leisure time physical activity resources for people with physical disabilities
Robert B Shaw1, Kylie D Mallory1, Jane Arkell2
1Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada.
Background:
The internet is an important information source for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, little is known about the quality of online leisure time physical activity resources provided for people with physical disabilities.
Objective:
To assess the quality of leisure time physical activity resources available online for people with physical disabilities.
Methods:
A purposive internet search was conducted to locate Canadian-developed resources that promoted leisure time physical activity for people with physical disabilities. Community disability organizations across Canada were also contacted to obtain additional resources. Resource quality was evaluated using a modified version of the Journal of the American Medical Association benchmarks to assess technical quality of health information. Other pertinent information (i.e., descriptive characteristics, targeting strategies) were also assessed.
Results:
None of the resources satisfied all seven technical quality benchmarks, with 4 benchmarks being the median number achieved. Resources were easily accessed from their respective websites and the majority (76.1%) provided links to additional resources related to leisure time physical activity. A limited number of resources tailored their information for a specific disability (28.4%) or age demographic (36.4%), while no resources targeted their information to individuals based on their time since disablement.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the concerning state of leisure time physical activity resources available online for people with physical disabilities. Based on the results of this study, recommendations are provided for resource developers to ensure newly developed resources are of higher technical quality.
