Differential relationships between physical activity and mental health among adults with disabilities in Korea.

Approximately half of Korean adults with disabilities met WHO physical activity guidelines.

• 51.5% (95% CI: 49.3–53.8) of participants were physically active (≥150 min/week)
• Sample included 1,890 adults with disabilities from the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHPS, 2019–2021, Version 2.2)
• PA levels were categorized as insufficient (<150 min/week), moderate (150–300 min/week), or high (>300 min/week) per WHO guidelines

Moderate and high physical activity were associated with lower odds of stress among adults with disabilities.

• Moderate PA was associated with reduced odds of stress (OR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36–0.85) compared to insufficient PA
• High PA was also associated with reduced odds of stress (OR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.44–0.91) compared to insufficient PA
• Multivariable logistic regression analyses were adjusted for covariates

Moderate physical activity was associated with lower odds of suicide ideation among adults with disabilities.

• Moderate PA was associated with reduced odds of suicide ideation (OR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.34–0.98) compared to insufficient PA
• This association was identified through multivariable logistic regression adjusted for covariates
• The association with suicide ideation was not statistically significant for high PA in the overall sample

High physical activity was associated with a 52% reduction in the odds of depression among adults with disabilities.

• High PA (>300 min/week) was associated with significantly lower odds of depression (OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25–0.93)
• This represents a 52% reduction in the odds of depression compared to those with insufficient PA
• The association was detected using multivariable logistic regression with covariate adjustment

The protective association between physical activity and mental health outcomes differed by disability type.

• Physically active adults with physical disabilities had lower odds of suicide ideation (OR 0.38, 95% CI: 0.20–0.84)
• Physically active adults with sensory disabilities had lower odds of stress (OR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.17–0.97)
• Physically active adults with internal organ disabilities had lower odds of both stress (OR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.14–0.73) and anxiety (OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.26–0.97)
• These findings were derived from stratified interaction analyses

The protective association between physical activity and mental health was stronger among certain sociodemographic subgroups.

• Older adults, males, employed individuals, urban residents, and those with higher educational attainment showed a stronger protective association between PA and mental health disorders
• Individuals with chronic health conditions who were physically active also demonstrated a stronger protective association with mental health disorders
• These patterns were identified through stratified interaction analyses