Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
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Daily Overview |
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WR1_1_3: Abstract presentations: Equity and Inclusion in Physical Activity and Health Location: White room 1 Session Chair: Evan Matthews | |
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3:30pm - 3:40pm
Parents’ perspectives on sport and physical activity opportunities for children with a disability or health condition during the cost-of-living crisis in Northern Ireland. 1: Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC), Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, UK.; 2: Centre for Exercise Medicine, Physical Activity and Health, Sports and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast, BT15 1ED, UK.; 3: Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK.; 4: Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, Derry/Londonderry, BT48 7JL, UK; 5: School of Law, Ulster University, Belfast, BT15 1ED, UK. Background: Children with a disability or health condition are less physically active than their peers, with disparities widening during adolescence. Although cost is a recognised barrier to participation, the impact of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis affecting countries worldwide on access to sport and physical activity (PA) remains unclear. Methods: With institutional ethical approval, parents/guardians (≥18 years) in Northern Ireland completed an online survey (March–June 2024) assessing socioeconomic status, parental support for PA, and the perceived impact of the cost-of-living crisis on children’s access to sport and PA. Chi-square tests compared responses between parents/guardians of children with and without a disability/medical condition. Qualitative responses were analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s methodology. Results: In total, n=300 (35%) parents/guardians reported that at least one of their children had a disability/medical condition while n=555 reported no such condition. Almost half (45%) of parents/guardians of children with a disability/health condition reported that their child had missed a sport or PA opportunity in the past year due to cost, compared with 32% of parents of children without a disability/medical condition (P<0.001). Since 2021, 43% had reduced spending on sport or PA (vs. 31%, P<0.001), and 31% had borrowed money or used credit to cover related costs (vs. 20%, P<0.001). Conclusions: Findings highlight a perceived disproportionate impact of rising costs on parents/guardians of children with disabilities or medical conditions, potentially limiting access to sport and PA opportunities. Further qualitative work will contextualise these findings and explore how financial pressures influence participation in this population. Funding: None. | |
