Hello APE Viewers! I recently had the opportunity to sit down with two scholars who recently authored a chapter in the textbook "Routledge Handbook of Adapted Physical Education" called Public Health Research. These scholars included Dr. Byron Lai, an assistant professor within the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Dr. Heidi Stanish an associate professor of Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Within their co-authored chapter, they define public health as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and prompting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals" (Winslow, 1920, p. 30). During this podcast episode we discuss the relationship between public health and adapted physical activity (APA) and the existing research related to physical activity and sedentary behaviors among people with disabilities that currently exist. We also highlight the lack of research in these areas, what we can do with the research available, and why it is important to use a public health lens when promoting the field of APA and adapted physical education.
