title: Perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity for children with disability: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity among children with disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 electronic databases were searched from the earliest time available to September 2010 to identify relevant articles. Articles were included if they examined the barriers or facilitators to physical activity for children with disability and were written in English. Articles were excluded if they included children with an acute, transient or chronic medical condition, examined sedentary leisure activities, or societal participation in general. Two reviewers independently assessed the search yields, extracted the data and assessed trial quality. Data were analysed descriptively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  14 articles met the inclusion criteria. Barriers included lack of knowledge and skills, the child's preferences, fear, parental behaviour, negative attitudes to disability, inadequate facilities, lack of transport, programmes and staff capacity, and cost. Facilitators included the child's desire to be active, practising skills, involvement of peers, family support, accessible facilities, proximity of location, better opportunities, skilled staff and information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Personal, social, environmental, and policy and programme-related barriers and facilitators influence the amount of activity children with disability undertake. The barriers to physical activity have been studied more comprehensively than the facilitators.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. n.shields@latrobe.edu.au
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Anneliese Jane
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Synnot
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013240:Stereotyping