“When-Movement-Moves” - Impact on Health-related QoL among disabled persons after 16-week participation in the Team Twin programme: a quasi-experimental study

Objective
The Team Twin programme provides a co-running concept of indirect physical activity in a social environment mixing abled-bodied volunteers with disabled persons limited in performing physical activity independently. Thus, we investigate how 16-weeks of participation in Team Twin affects change in the following four domains of health-related-Quality of life (QoL) (i) QoL, (ii) mental, (iii) social- and, (iii) physical health among severely disabled persons.
Methods
We enrolled 21 severely disabled persons aged 18-65 in an uncontrolled pre-post repeated-measure study design. The trial period lasted from mid-June to October 2021. Physical health was assessed through clinical examinations and questionnaires. Information on QoL, mental- and social health were obtained through questionaries. To compensate for the uncontrolled design, we conducted two baseline clinical examination measurements prior to the study start. Change between these two baseline measures accounts for the control period compared with the follow-up. Self-reported questionnaires were distributed before and after the trial period. Mixed linear and logistic regression models are used to compare the change in the outcome of the four domains. A two-sided significance level was set to Results
Only preliminary analysis has been conducted at the time, yet, these results do not indicate an unequivocal advancement in any four domains investigated. However, mixed models and post-hoc analysis will unfold the results and will be presented at the conference.
Conclusions Being limited in performing physical activity on your own due to disabilities has a significant impact on the everyday life and health of people living with disabilities. Therefore, promoting an active lifestyle despite the challenge of movement is highly prioritised in the western world. The concept of Team Twin may become an active player in promoting general public health among persons with severe disabilities.