“My name is Haley Berrisford and I grew up in Summerland, BC before moving to Edmonton, AB, to attend the University of Alberta. I am excited to be back in the Okanagan at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus.
As a varsity swimmer and avid triathlete, I have a passion for sport, exercise, health, and wellness that underlies my personal life as well as my academic and career goals. I plan to pursue a master’s degree and then a doctoral research degree, focusing on exercise science and disability.
The Measurement Validation Project focuses on evaluating the reliability and validity of the Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire for people with disabilities, including people with spinal cord injury, as well as assessing the validity of physical activity recall for individuals with spinal cord injury. This project helps to set the foundational tools needed to collect national information on physical activity specifically in people with disabilities and spinal cord injury.”
This project aligns with my interest in physical activity and its application to people with disabilities. It is an outstanding opportunity for me to gain knowledge and hands-on experience working with people who have physical and other types of disabilities, especially in terms of physical activity and its implications for these populations. It is important that physical activity guidelines are developed with and for a specific population so that those individuals can actually benefit from them. This Measurement Validation Project fills gaps in our current knowledge about measuring physical activity in people with spinal cord injury and disabilities and sets the stage to further understand the health impacts of physical activity.”
