✨ Key Statistics

Prevalence / Participation 

• In Australia, about 1 in 6 people (~18%, or ~4.4 million people) have a disability. Australian Sports Commission 

• Globally, people living with disabilities (PLWD) are 16–62% less likely to meet physical activity guidelines, depending on region, disability type, etc. The Lancet 

Health & Quality of Life 

• A systematic review (BMJ / British Journal of Sports Medicine) found that sport or physical recreation for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities improves participation, mobility, and quality of life. British Journal of Sports Medicine 

• Another study reporting from The Lancet shows lower rates of physical activity among people with disability, meaning that the risks of inactivity (e.g. chronic disease) are significantly higher in that population. The Lancet+1 

Social / Inclusion 

• Australian data (AIHW) shows that people with a disability are more likely to have lower social participation, report difficulty “getting out and about,” and higher risk of loneliness and isolation versus people without a disability. AIHW 

• From “Costs of exclusion and gains of inclusion” (LSHTM) there is evidence that exclusion from societal activities (which includes sports and recreation) has broad adverse outcomes in employment, education, civic engagement, and wellbeing. LSHTM 

Economic / Financial Impacts 

• There are “hidden costs” to households with disability in the US: disability not only reduces earnings (the so-called earnings penalty) but also increases expenses, reduces capacity for unpaid household work, etc. Some studies estimate that the financial well-being penalty (beyond lost income) is equivalent to tens of thousands of dollars annually for some households.