Title of Paper

Traveling for Health: Social Integration Effects of Travel Participation on Health and Wellness for People with Disabilities

Author Bios (50 Words for each Author)

Chenggang Hua is a doctoral student in Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington’s Department of Health & Wellness Design. His research focuses on travel’s social/psychological impacts on people with disabilities. He is particularly interested in tourism’s impacts on social integration and health perceptions of people with disabilities and older adults.

Shu Cole is Professor in the Department of Health & Wellness Design at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Her current funded research focuses on the psychological process of travel participation for people with spinal cord injury. She also conducts research on the health benefits of travel for older adults.

Abstract (150 Words)

Drawing on the social model of disability, this study proposes that travel activities need to be recognized by people with disabilities as an active social strategy, which further promotes and affirms their health and wellness perception, ultimately helping this population overcome social, health, and wellness obstacles associated with disability. The study adopts a quantitative analysis that provides evidence for social integration as mediating the benefit of travel participation for health/wellness perception, and further explored and discussed to provide a full picture of the social integration effects of travel on people with disabilities. Our findings may extend from the discussion on disabilities to elderly or autistic patients, as well as other people who are isolated or have limited chances for social engagement.

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Traveling for Health: Social Integration Effects of Travel Participation on Health and Wellness for People with Disabilities

Drawing on the social model of disability, this study proposes that travel activities need to be recognized by people with disabilities as an active social strategy, which further promotes and affirms their health and wellness perception, ultimately helping this population overcome social, health, and wellness obstacles associated with disability. The study adopts a quantitative analysis that provides evidence for social integration as mediating the benefit of travel participation for health/wellness perception, and further explored and discussed to provide a full picture of the social integration effects of travel on people with disabilities. Our findings may extend from the discussion on disabilities to elderly or autistic patients, as well as other people who are isolated or have limited chances for social engagement.