Adapting an evidence-based physical activity questionnaire for people with physical disabilities: A methodological...

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Rehabilitation Science
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Existing tools often exclude individuals with disabilities.
• There's a lack of systematic processes for adapting survey instruments for diverse populations.
• Physical inactivity and obesity rates are disproportionately high in people with physical disabilities (PWD).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a methodology for adapting survey instruments to include PWD.
• To apply this methodology to adapt a physical activity survey for inclusive use.

Main Methods:

• A five-step framework, SAVe-IT (Select, Adapt, Verify, Implement, Test), was developed.
• The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was adapted using this framework.
• Adaptations were verified by expert panels and pilot tested.

Main Results:

• The adapted IPAQ successfully passed expert review and pilot testing.
• High test-retest reliability was confirmed, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.950 for the total sample, PWD, and people without disabilities.

Conclusions:

• The SAVe-IT framework provides a systematic process for adapting survey instruments.
• The adapted IPAQ is reliable and can be used in both disabled and non-disabled populations.
• This methodology promotes inclusive data collection for physical activity research.