Jessica Langham, who presented her groundbreaking findings at the National Rural Health Conference in Darwin last week, undertook her honours project in Tamworth. 

“My honours project provided evidence that rurally residing children with a disability are not undertaking the recommended amount of daily physical activity and face added barriers to participation,” Ms Langham said. 

She said segregation, access to facilities and barriers specific to the child were the leading causes.

“If they are in a very remote area, they might not have any facilities or resources in the town and they might have to travel two hours to exercise,” she said. 

Ms Langham said the segregation was not limited to wheelchair users, and children with autism or a behavioural disability were “set aside” and not included in activities. 

“Just because someone has a disability, it doesn’t mean they can’t participate in a soccer team,” she said. “Maybe they can’t go on the field, but they can still be part of the team, they can still train.”

She said it wasn’t purely about physical activity, but about the emotional and social benefits of not being excluded. 

Often there was a lack of trained professionals to know how to include children with different needs.

Ms Langham hoped her research would break down the barriers people with disabilities face in participation. 

“I have a strong belief that health should be equal for all, no matter where someone lives or their heritage,” Ms Langham said. 

Australian Physiotherapy Association CEO Chris Massis said physiotherapists played a vital role in the health and wellbeing of people who had a range of conditions or disabilities, but sadly too few were based in rural areas.

“Unfortunately, with the majority of physiotherapists working in major cities, this has resulted in a shortage of physiotherapists in rural and remote areas,” Mr Massis said. 

“Adequate investment into rural and remote health care systems is needed to ensure people living in these areas receive health care that meets the higher rates of illness and cost of care.”

The disparity between rural and metropolitan health is palpable, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare finding rural health is generally poorer than in metropolitan areas. 

The mortality rate for rural Australians, for example, is 10 per cent higher than for city counterparts.

Ms Langham said her study focused on the perception of parents and carers on the physical activity their child could access – the first study of its kind in Australia. 

A follow-up study is currently being conducted with focus groups.

If you are keen to participate, please contact the University of Newcastle’s Tamworth Education Centre.