Effectiveness of Virtual Wellness Programming for Adults with Disabilities: Clients' Perspectives

The health status of adults with disabilities is recognized as a formal health disparity. Due to COVID-19, participation in wellness programs for this population has been restricted. To provide program participants with continued accessibility, one regional wellness program for adults with disabilities adopted a virtual format. The purpose of this research is to determine the effectiveness of a virtual wellness program for this population.

Study subjects consisted of adults with disabilities who participated in a regional virtual wellness program. A survey was developed and disseminated electronically to study participants through Qualtrics software. Part 1 of the survey included demographic information, while Part 2 surveyed participants' perceptions and satisfaction with the virtual program using a 5-point Likert scale.

10 out of 14 participants responded to the survey. Results indicated that the majority (80%) of participants utilized the program at least 1-2 times/week. All participants reported that, despite preferring in-person wellness classes, they were satisfied with the virtual format of the program. Positive responses were also reported for survey items related to self-perceived health and functional benefits from participation, degree of staff and peer support offered through virtual means, ease of technology use, and the degree of safety within the virtual environment.

Given the health status of adults with disabilities during an ongoing global pandemic, continued restrictions limiting participation with in-person wellness programs is anticipated. Virtual formats may offer an advantageous solution to provide adults with disabilities with continued access to this essential programming. While the current study showed positive self-perceived health and functional benefits from participation, further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this format through expanded and standardized objective outcome measures and to better understand factors that may impact participation.