Peer-reviewed article
Participation in out-of-home activities and health-related quality of life among Australian children with disabilities: Evidence from the longitudinal study of Australian children.
Ahammed B, Alam K, Hoque Z, Keramat SA ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how participating in out-of-home activities like sports events, playgrounds, museums, and libraries affects the quality of life for Australian children with disabilities. Using data from 2,480 children tracked over 14 years, researchers found that children who participated in these activities reported better overall health-related quality of life, including improvements in physical, social, and school functioning. The benefits increased with the number of activities children participated in, suggesting that diverse engagement in community activities supports child development.
Key points
- Out-of-home activity participation was significantly associated with higher overall health-related quality of life (β=3.43, p=0.002)
- Positive associations were found for physical (β=4.52), social (β=4.12), and school (β=4.03) domains
- A graded dose-response relationship existed: 1 activity (β=3.12), 2-3 activities (β=3.34), and 4-5 activities (β=4.41)
- Study included 3,694 observations from 2,480 unique children with disabilities across eight waves from 2004-2018
- Authors recommend targeted funding to expand equitable access to inclusive community programs across regions and socioeconomic groups
Limitations
This is an observational study that cannot determine causality—it is possible that children with better health-related quality of life are more able to participate in activities, rather than activities improving quality of life. The study is specific to the Australian context and may not generalise to other countries with different disability services or community activity availability.
Abstract
Background Participation in out-of-home activities (OoHA) is hypothesised to enhance the physical, emotional, and social development of children with disabilities, as well as their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, longitudinal evidence in the Australian context remains limited. Objective To examine the relationship between OoHA participation and HRQoL among children with disabilities using a population-based longitudinal dataset. Methods Data were drawn from eight waves (2004-2018) of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, comprising 2480 unique children with disabilities (3694 children-wave observations). HRQoL was measured using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory instrument. OoHA was defined as participation in community activities, including movie or sporting events, playgrounds or swimming pools, concert or museum visits, visiting libraries, or religious services. Panel regression (random-effects) model was employed, controlling for child and family-level covariates. Results OoHA participation was significantly associated with higher overall HRQoL (β=3.43, 95% CI: [1.27, 5.59], p = 0.002). More specifically, significant positive associations were observed for the physical (β=4.52, 95% CI: [1.81, 7.23], p = 0.001), social (β=4.12, 95% CI: [1.05, 7.19], p = 0.009), and school (β=4.03, 95% CI: [0.92, 7.13], p = 0.011) domains. A graded association was evident, with overall HRQoL scores increasing from 1 activity (β=3.12, 95% CI: [0.77, 5.46], p = 0.009) to 2-3 activities (β=3.34, 95% CI: [1.15, 5.54], p = 0.003) and to 4-5 activities (β=4.41, 95% CI: [2.06, 6.76], p < 0.001). Conclusions Diverse OoHA participation was associated with higher HRQoL among children with disabilities. Targeted funding should expand equitable access to inclusive programs across all regions and socioeconomic groups, supported by formal partnerships among schools, local governments, and disability service providers.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Participation in out-of-home activities including community events (movies, sporting events), recreation facilities (playgrounds, swimming pools), cultural venues (concerts, museums), libraries, and religious services
- Population
- Australian children with disabilities (n=2,480 unique children, 3,694 observations)
Key finding
Overall health-related quality of life increased by 3.43 points with out-of-home activity participation (p=0.002)
B et al. · Europe PMC · 2 Sept 2026