Changes in the Type of Sports Activity Due to COVID-19: Hypochondriasis and the Intention of Continuous Participation in Sports

Mental health and governmental response policy evaluation on COVID-19 based on vaccination status in Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has continued since the outbreak in December 2019. People experience depression and anxiety due to government policies and restrictions on physical activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to compare and analyze people's experiences of COVID-19 blues, sports policy awareness, and participation intention according to their vaccination status.

METHODS

This quantitative study used an online survey to collect demographic information, vaccination status, and variables. Data validity and reliability were verified through confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated using SPSS/AMOS 23.0. Finally, this comparative study was conducted using multivariate analysis of variance to investigate the differences in the dependent variables between the groups.

RESULTS

The vaccinated group had higher scores for all factors related to COVID-19 blues (F = 19.147; p < .05; partial η2 = .046) and government policy (market responsiveness: F = 5.669, p < .05, partial η2 = .014; policy performance: F = 6.997, p < .05, partial η2 = .017; policy satisfaction: F = 7.647, p < .05, partial η2 = .019), apart from the intention to participate in sports (F = .014, p > .05, partial η2 = .000); these results demonstrate that people with COVID-19 blues and relatively high confidence in government quarantine policies were more likely to be vaccinated. In addition, all participants gave sports-participation intention the highest rating, regardless of their vaccination status; this reflects the current situation, in which individual activities are limited.

CONCLUSIONS

This study analyzed the mental health of vaccinated and unvaccinated groups in Korean adult men, their perceptions of government policies, and their willingness to engage in physical activity. The findings are meaningful and highlight useful directions for future research. This study provides evidence which can help alleviate the mental damage caused by government quarantine policies and enable a better understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study provide important data for understanding the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Can We Improve Running Events? The IPA4RE Questionnaire and Its Potential Impact on the Experience of Runners

The benefits that a positive running experience provides to individuals have been broadly studied by the scientific community, with the finding that running sport events are a facilitating tool to attract more individuals into physical activity. This study focuses on a sport management approach to improve the quality and organizational efficiency of running sports events so that a better experience for runners can be provided. The methods of this research consist of the validation of a new questionnaire called 'The IPA4RE questionnaire'. Furthermore, an IPA analysis for a specific event was carried out. As our main findings, the most valued aspects perceived by consumers are the event atmosphere, security, event route, and convenience of bib collection and event day information. In conclusion, the IPA4RE can be used as a management tool by running event organizers to make more efficient use of their resources and provide a better experience to participants.

Evaluation of the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder following the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran and its related factors: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

COVID-19 pandemic has generated a rise in psychological distress, such as illness anxiety disorder, apart from its negative physical effects. This study intends to the evaluation of illness anxiety disorder rate following the prevalence of COVID-19 in Iran and its associated factors.

METHODS

In this study, 634 people were studied. The data collection method was performed via the virtual networks using a questionnaire, with the sampling method being convenient and nonprobable with the method of snowball. Evans illness anxiety disorder questionnaire was utilized in this investigation. The logistic regression model and the χ 2 were used to evaluate the data.

RESULTS

The prevalence of illness anxiety disorder was 12.1%. The chance to have an illness anxiety disorder in the people whose relatives had a history of COVID-19 was 5.32 times, and in those who had a relative with a history of COVID-19 had higher (odds ratio = 1.27). But, this connection in people who worked or studied in nonmedical fields, is several times more than those who are busy in the medical fields. In individuals of 30 years and older, the chance of patients in single people compared to married people was 5.20 times higher, but under the age of 30 years, the chance of illness anxiety disorder in single people was 0.91.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 pandemic, also to the physical effects, may have psychological implications for people. Therefore, reducing the individual and social activities in terms of this disease, along with measures related to physical problems, diagnosis, timely treatment and proper psychological consequences, including illness anxiety disorder can be very fruitful.

Physical Activity and Mental Health Declined during the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Literature Review

(1) Introduction: Mental health (MH) and physical activity (PA) share a bi-directional relationship, but most studies report MH as the outcome. With diminishing pandemic-related MH, this review examines the impact of diminished MH on PA. (2) Methods: This narrative literature review included 19 empirical studies published since the COVID-19 pandemic. Electronic databases such as MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched for English language articles in peer-reviewed journals using equivalent index terms: "anxiety", "depression", "stress", "mental health", "exercise", "activity", "COVID-19", "coronavirus", and "2019 pandemic". The search reviewed 187 articles with double-rater reliability using Covidence. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. (3) Results: MH themes that impacted PA were depression and/or anxiety (n = 17), one of which identified inadequate coping and excessive pandemic stress (n = 2). In addition, women are more likely to suffer diminished MH and reduced PA throughout the pandemic. (4) Conclusion: Current research suggests that individuals with pre-pandemic MH episodes are correlated with more effective coping skills and fewer adverse effects from COVID-19 than expected. As we emerge from this pandemic, equipping all individuals, especially women, with positive coping strategies may accelerate a seamless return to PA.

Handball Training and Competition With Facemasks in Galicia: The FISICOVID-DXTGALEGO Protocols Experience

Objective

COVID-19 caused a complete stop in non-professional sports. The use of face masks for team sports is not a widely used measure in non-professional sports. The study aimed to evaluate the perception about using the mask and the adaptation difficulties related to training and competition in team sports following the FISICOVID-DXTGALEGO protocol.

Methods

Seven hundred eighty-seven handball players from the Galician Handball Federation were followed during their return to participation after months of confinement through an electronic questionnaire of perception and experience on the use of a mask.

Results

There is an excellent adaptation to the mask in training and competition with medium and high correlations. The 86,41% of players reported an adaptation to the mask in 3 weeks with a three times a week training frequency. The negative opinion on the mask was drastically reduced (-66.86%) after use. The 80,44% of players considered the use of a mask as an essential measure to resume competitions.

Conclusions

It is very feasible to adapt to training and compete with a mask (hygienic or surgical) in a short period. The use of a mask following these protocols changed previous opinions on the disadvantages of the mask during training and competition.

Impact of COVID-19 on the exercise habits of Pennsylvania residents and their families

AIM

This study investigated how COVID-19 impacted the physical activity and sports participation of Pennsylvania residents and their children.

SUBJECT AND METHODS

Data were collected through an online survey of 525 Pennsylvania residents with a child between the ages of 3 and 17. Data were collected in October 2020.

RESULTS

Nearly a third of respondents reported a decrease in their physical activity. Hispanics were more likely than non-Hispanics to report a decrease in their physical activity. Older children were more likely to have a decrease in physical activity. Children in homes with more children present were less likely to see such a decline. Men were more likely than women to see COVID-19 as a barrier to physical activity for themselves and their child.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study underscore the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our health as a nation. Exercise, in all forms, plays a key role in overall health, weight, and disease resistance. It remains unclear how declines in physical activity might persist over time, and among whom.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review

Infectious diseases and human behavior are intertwined. On one side, our movements and interactions are the engines of transmission. On the other, the unfolding of viruses might induce changes to our daily activities. While intuitive, our understanding of such feedback loop is still limited. Before COVID-19 the literature on the subject was mainly theoretical and largely missed validation. The main issue was the lack of empirical data capturing behavioral change induced by diseases. Things have dramatically changed in 2020. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been the key weapon against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and affected virtually any societal process. Travel bans, events cancellation, social distancing, curfews, and lockdowns have become unfortunately very familiar. The scale of the emergency, the ease of survey as well as crowdsourcing deployment guaranteed by the latest technology, several Data for Good programs developed by tech giants, major mobile phone providers, and other companies have allowed unprecedented access to data describing behavioral changes induced by the pandemic. Here, I review some of the vast literature written on the subject of NPIs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, I analyze 348 articles written by more than 2518 authors in the first 12 months of the emergency. While the large majority of the sample was obtained by querying PubMed, it includes also a hand-curated list. Considering the focus, and methodology I have classified the sample into seven main categories: epidemic models, surveys, comments/perspectives, papers aiming to quantify the effects of NPIs, reviews, articles using data proxies to measure NPIs, and publicly available datasets describing NPIs. I summarize the methodology, data used, findings of the articles in each category and provide an outlook highlighting future challenges as well as opportunities.

Habits and Psychological Factors Associated With Changes in Physical Activity Due to COVID-19 Confinement

The confinement that COVID-19 has brought about has had a negative influence on people's psychological health. However, this impact is not widespread throughout the population, and men and women may be affected differently and it is not known what protective factors may exist. In this sense, physical activity has classically been shown to be a habit associated with psychological health. The study aimed to analyze the impact of confinement on psychological health (psychological well-being, coping, emotions, and perception of daily difficulties), taking into account gender, and perceived changes in physical activity. After the project was approved by the University's Ethics Commission, the participants, after signing the informed consent, completed the online questionnaires during the days from 6 to 20 April, the time when, in Spain, confinement was in place and the highest peak of deaths and infections from COVID-19 occurred. A total of 457 Spanish participants (247 men and 210 women) were evaluated in psychological well-being, in its adaptation to Spanish, in coping, with the Spanish adaptation of the COPE Inventory, in daily habits and difficulties (ad hoc questionnaire) and the level of physical activity they had (sedentary, active, and federated players) was recorded. Besides, the perceived change in physical activity due to confinement was recorded. The results showed that perceived emotions, difficulties for certain routines, psychological well-being, and coping differed according to sex. On the other hand, depending on the change in physical activity habits, it was observed that participants who increased their physical activity responded differently in the perception of emotions, and difficulties for routines and in psychological well-being. Finally, differences were also observed in most variables between sedentary, active, and federated participants. Results are discussed highlighting the importance of physical activity as a moderating factor of the impact of confinement.

Perceived Crowding and Risk Perception According to Leisure Activity Type during COVID-19 Using Spatial Proximity

This study aimed to investigate the difference in people's perceived crowding and risk perception during leisure activities using the criteria of spatial proximity during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is a viral respiratory tract disease that poses an increasing risk of infection through person-to-person transmission in a confined space or close proximity to an infected person. It is thus crucial to maintain a sufficiently safe distance from others during leisure activities. In this study, measures concerning leisure activity spaces and the current status of leisure activities were investigated. Data were gathered from a total of 1078 participants via an online survey conducted from 26 to 29 October 2020. Frequency analysis was performed to investigate the sample characteristics and exploratory factor analysis was performed to analyze the validity of the measurement tools. Results revealed that people's perceived crowding of leisure activity spaces directly influenced their participation in leisure activities. Regarding age, those in their 20s were more aware of congestion and their risk perception was higher than those in their 40s and 50s. It was found that people perceived cultural and artistic activities to be dangerous as they often take place as part of tourism and leisure activities and amidst crowds. However, their high-risk perception indirectly influenced their participation patterns, making it difficult to enjoy leisure activities. To lower the risk perception of leisure activity spaces, it was necessary to secure more safe distancing than current regulations require. Future research must conduct a longitudinal investigation by objectively stratifying the degree of perceived crowding.