Do athletes with physical disabilities perceive their quality of life similarly when involved in different Paralympic Sports?

Abstract Aim: This study aimed to compare the quality of life perception among Boccia, Para-Athletics, and Wheelchair Tennis athletes. Methods: Eighty-six athletes with physical disabilities participated (Boccia = 41; Para Athletics = 14; Wheelchair Tennis = 31) in the study. The data were collected by applying the Brazilian Portuguese version of the WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire and a short survey for demographics. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the relationship among the variables considering a confidence level of 95%. Results: Wheelchair Tennis athletes were older and Para-Athletics athletes were involved in this sport for a longer period. The majority of participants perceived positively their overall quality of life and health. Wheelchair Tennis athletes presented higher total quality of life perception scores in comparison to Boccia athletes. Regarding the specific domains of quality of life, Para-Athletics athletes presented higher scores in the psychological domain in comparison to Boccia and Wheelchair Tennis. Wheelchair Tennis presented higher social scores in comparison to Boccia and higher environment scores in comparison to Boccia and Para-Athletics. No differences were found in the physical domain in all groups. Conclusion: The evidence points to the influence of athletes’ demographics, the specific nuances of their impairments, and the Paralympic Sports practiced in perceiving the quality of life. Suggestions are made to further explore the factors that may influence the quality of life perception among Paralympic Sports athletes.

研究目的：本研究旨在对比硬地滚球（Boccia）、残疾人田径（Para-Athletics）与轮椅网球（Wheelchair Tennis）运动员的生活质量感知水平。研究方法：本研究共纳入86名肢体残疾运动员参与，其中硬地滚球运动员41名、残疾人田径运动员14名、轮椅网球运动员31名。数据采集采用巴西葡萄牙语版世界卫生组织生活质量测定量表简表（WHOQOL-Bref）与人口统计学简要调查问卷。以95%置信水平为标准，采用描述性与推断性统计学方法分析变量间的关联。研究结果：轮椅网球运动员年龄更大，残疾人田径运动员从事该项目的年限更长。绝大多数参与者对自身整体生活质量与健康状况持积极评价。轮椅网球运动员的总体生活质量感知得分高于硬地滚球运动员。在生活质量特定维度方面，残疾人田径运动员的心理领域得分高于硬地滚球与轮椅网球运动员；轮椅网球运动员的社会领域得分高于硬地滚球运动员，环境领域得分高于硬地滚球与残疾人田径运动员；三组运动员在生理领域均未发现显著差异。研究结论：研究结果表明，运动员的人口统计学特征、残疾的具体特点以及所从事的残奥会项目类型，均会对其生活质量感知产生影响。本研究建议进一步探究影响残奥会项目运动员生活质量感知的相关因素。