A NATIONAL STUDY OF ASSESSING THE ACCESSIBILITY OF FITNESS FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Abstract

PURPOSE To evaluate the degree of accessibility of fitness centers for people with disabilities. METHODS 59 fitness facilities in urban and suburban areas across the United States were selected to participate in a national study in order to assess the accessibility of fitness environments for people with disabilities. 50 subjects consisted of 34 consumers with various type of mobility related disabilities and 26 fitness professionals were asked to visit multiple fitness facilities within their regions to evaluate the degree of accessibility for several fitness environments using the AIMFREE (Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments) instrument. RESULTS Of the 20 identified fitness environments, staff attitudes, staff behavior, information, hot tubs, saunas, and swimming pools were rated as least accessible by consumers, while professionals graded telephones, access routes, hot tubs, saunas, and swimming pools with the lowest accessibility scores. Elevators, bathrooms, water fountains and parking lots were rated as most accessible by both groups. There was no apparent accessibility difference between fitness facilities in urban and suburban areas reported by consumers except for information accessibility (p < .01). However, the professionals did report significant differences in the accessiblity of hot tubs (p < .01), saunas (p < .05), equipment (p < .05), and telephones (p < .05) in urban and suburban fitness facilities. CONCLUSION While the general areas of the facility, including parking lots, elevators, water fountains, and bathrooms were found to be accessible, staff attitudes and behaviors, hot tubs, saunas, and swimming pools remain major environmental obstacles for people with disabilities to participate in fitness activities in the United States.