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Sedentary behaviour in non-ambulant children and young people with physical disabilities: a systematic search and
Marilyn Bradbury1,2, Ciara O'Brien3, Nathan Giles4
1Research and Innovation, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Aston, UK marilyn.bradbury1@nhs.net.
Insights
This systematic review synthesizes evidence on sedentary behavior in non-ambulant youth. It identifies gaps in measurement, patterns, risks, and interventions to improve health outcomes for children and young people with physical disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Physical Therapy
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Non-ambulant children and young people with physical disabilities face significant health risks due to sedentary time.
- Previous reviews have not assessed the quality of evidence or focused on individuals up to age 25.
- There is a need for validated measurement tools and effective interventions for this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically identify and categorize peer-reviewed articles on sedentary behavior in non-ambulant youth (up to age 25).
- To critically appraise the quality of evidence regarding measurement, patterns, associated risks, and interventions.
- To summarize existing evidence, assess its strength, and identify knowledge gaps.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of online databases (1996-2021) following PRISMA-P guidelines.
- Two independent reviewers screened, categorized, and critically appraised articles using established tools.
- Data extraction and analysis were verified by a second reviewer.
Main Results:
- Evidence synthesis will be reported based on four subquestions: measurement, patterns, risks, and interventions.
- The review will provide a best evidence synthesis, highlighting the cumulative strength of the findings.
- Specific results regarding the quality and quantity of evidence will be detailed upon completion of the review.
Conclusions:
- This review will provide a comprehensive understanding of sedentary behavior in non-ambulant youth.
- It aims to inform the development of targeted interventions and improve health outcomes.
- Identifying knowledge gaps will guide future research priorities in this understudied population.
Introduction:
Non-ambulant children and young people with physical disabilities are at high risk of experiencing negative health outcomes associated with sedentary time. A previous scoping review summarising evidence relating to sedentary behaviours of children with physical disabilities identified the need for validated methods of measuring physical activity of children who use wheelchairs and evaluation of interventions to reduce sedentary time. The scoping review did not assess the quality of evidence relating to this topic, therefore its validity remains unclear. No reviews focussing on non-ambulant children and young people up to the age of 25 years have been undertaken.The objectives of this systematic search and review are to:Identify all peer-reviewed articles relating to sedentary behaviour of non-ambulant children and young people.Categorise the articles according to study design and four subquestions relating to (i) measurement, (ii) patterns, (iii) associated risks and (iv) interventions to reduce sedentary time or behaviour.Critically appraise quality of the articles using established critical appraisal tools.Summarise the evidence for each subquestion. Describe its cumulative strength and identify knowledge gaps.
Methods And Analysis:
This protocol was developed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) checklist. The research questions, inclusion/exclusion criteria and search terms have been developed a priori using the 'Population, Concept and Context' framework. Online databases will be systematically searched to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 1996 and 2021. Two reviewers will screen, categorise and critically appraise the articles. Data extraction and analysis will be verified by the second reviewer.Results will be reported as a best evidence synthesis, with reference to the PRISMA checklist.
Ethics And Dissemination:
Ethical approval is not required. The review will be submitted to an appropriate peer-reviewed journal.
Registration:
The review is registered on the Open Science Framework database. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/SQXJB. Any protocol amendments will be recorded in the Open Science Framework database.
