Association Between Disability and Participation in Sports or Physical Activities: Evidence From a Chilean Population-based Survey

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the association between disability and participation in sports or physical activity during the past month among individuals in Chile. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the Second National Disability Study (ENDISC II) of Chile. The dependent variable was defined as participation in sports or physical activity in the last month, while the independent variable was disability status, as determined by the ENDISC II methodology. Crude and adjusted ordinal logistic regression models were employed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: The analysis included data from 12 236 Chilean participants. Individuals with mild or moderate disability were 54% more likely to participate in lower levels of sports or physical activity (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.87). Those with severe disability exhibited a 73% increased likelihood (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.19 to 2.52) compared to individuals without disabilities, after adjusting for multiple confounding factors. Conclusions: In Chile, individuals with disabilities participated less frequently in sports or physical activity during the past month than those without disabilities.