Sleep Quality and Physical Activity as Predictors of Mental Wellbeing Variance in Older Adults during COVID-19 Lockdown: ECLB COVID-19 International Online Survey

Physical Activity and Neurocognitive Symptoms in Older Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: Examine whether physical activity (PA) changes during the COVID-19 pandemic were related to subjective cognitive decline (SCD), depression, and anxiety in older adults and whether these varied by sociodemographic variables. Methods: 301 older adults completed an online survey between May and October 2020 and 3 months later, including self-report questionnaires of SCD, depression, and anxiety. PA changes were determined with a question. Results: 60% of participants reported decreased PA. Those who reduced their PA were more likely to be from low to middle income and younger. PA increase was related to less SCD and depressive symptoms compared to those who decreased it. Participants who maintained their PA had fewer SCD concerns, depressive, and anxiety symptoms than those who decreased it. Discussion: Reducing PA was associated with worse neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms. Encouraging older adults to increase PA may help mitigate some of the pandemic's adverse effects on psychological well-being.

Differentiating the relationships between traditional and new media use and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic: roles of psychological distress and age

Background

Numerous studies have consistently demonstrated a decline in sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective of this study is to explore the impact of engaging with pertinent epidemic information through the media amid the COVID-19 crisis on individuals' sleep quality and the underlying mechanisms through which this influence operates.

Methods

An online cross-sectional study design was employed. A total of 1,063 British adults (36.2% males; M age = 38.85, SD age = 13.36, ranging from 18 to 77 years old) participated in the study and completed our questionnaires, which included media usage frequency during the pandemic, the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Ten-item Personality Inventory (TIPI).

Results

Pearson's correlation analyses indicated that there was no significant correlation between COVID-19-related traditional media use (television, radio, newspaper) and psychological distress or sleep quality. However, exposure to information related to COVID-19 through new media use (Facebook, Tik Tok, Twitter) was correlated with greater psychological distress and poorer sleep quality. A moderated mediation analysis showed that psychological distress fully mediated the relationship between new media use and poor sleep, which was moderated by age, with the association between psychological distress and poor sleep quality being stronger among older adults.

Conclusion

Exposure to information of COVID-19 via new (but not traditional) media use deteriorated sleep quality through greater psychological distress, and this relationship was stronger among older adults.

The Impact of Resistance Training on Equilibrium Abilities and Quality of Life in Older Adults after SARS-CoV-2 Survival

Background: The scientific literature on COVID-19 and its long-term impacts on all-body systems and their treatments is still limited. The aim of the study was to create a safe protocol-based intervention to improve functional and equilibrium abilities in older adults impacted by COVID-19. Methods: This study used a sample of 46 people (intervention group: n = 26; control group: n = 20). Resistance training (RT) was held twice a week, with 60 min per session for 8 weeks. The postural stability and quality of life questionnaire (WHQOOL) was completed during pre- and post-testing. Results: The results indicated significant differences in overall stability index (OSI) with eyes open (EO), anterior-posterior stability index (APSI) EO, fall-risk index 6-2 (FRI6-2) values in males (p < 0.05), and APSI EO (p < 0.05) values in females compared to control groups, respectively. In the training, a significant improvement was reported in OSI EO and APSI EO (p < 0.05) female groups compared to baseline results and in FRI6-2 values in both gender groups (p < 0.01-men, p < 0.05-women). The effect of the intervention was recorded in the intervention group in the OSI EO (Z = -3.12, p < 0.01, R = 0.533) and FRI6-2 (Z = -2.06, p < 0.05, R = 0.354). Additionally, significantly different reactions between the groups were observed in the psychological domain (DOM2) (Z = 2.194, p < 0.028, R = 0.389), social relationship domain (DOM3) (Z = 2.051, p < 0.0403, R = 0.361), and in question 2 concerning general health (Z = 3.309, p < 0.0009, R = 0.535). Conclusions: The findings indicate that RT had a positive effect on older adults affected by COVID-19, led to a significant improvement in their postural stability, and had a significant impact on elements of psychological well-being and quality of life.

Association between residential environment and emotional wellbeing among older adults in China: the mediating effect of health lifestyle

Introduction

The association between the residential environment and emotional wellbeing (EWB) in older adults has received extensive attention from gerontologists, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the mediating mechanism of how residential environment affects emotional wellbeing has not been fully explored. This study examined the effects of the residential environment on EWB and the mediating role of health lifestyle.

Methods

This study analyzed the survey data of 493 rural and 515 urban older adults from 2021 Chinese General Social Survey. General linear regression and structural equation models were used to examine the effects of residential environment and health lifestyle.

Results

Urban participants exhibited clear advantages in EWB, residential environment, and physical activity. Residential environment significantly affected the EWB of older adults, and health lifestyle played a mediating role in this relationship. The residential environment and health lifestyle did not significantly affect EWB in rural participants.

Discussion

This study revealed differences in the effects of health lifestyles and residential environments on EWB among older adults in rural and urban settings in China. This study provided empirical evidence of mental health disparities between older rural and urban Chinese residents.

The effect of foot bath on sleep quality in the elderly: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Population aging is a problem that has affected most countries in the world. Poor-quality sleep is a common complaint among the elderly. Foot baths are a method of heat therapy and are performed as an independent nursing care in different departments. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of foot baths with spa on improving the sleep quality of the elderly.

METHODS

This research is a systematic review. We systematically searched six databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and the World Health Organization databases, to retrieve the related articles based on the keywords used in our search strategy from 2010 to March 2023.

RESULT

Finally, 10 articles were included in this study. All studies were randomized controlled trial (RCTs) and semi-experimental. In all 9 studies, the positive effects of the foot bath were reported. In 9 studies, the effect of foot baths with water above 40 degrees Celsius was reported. The PSQR questionnaire was used in most of the studies.

CONCLUSION

The total findings of this study showed that due to the high prevalence of sleep problems in the elderly, foot baths with warm water can be used as an easy, simple, and safe nursing intervention to improve sleep quality. Therefore, it can be used in nursing homes and hospitals. It is also a non-pharmacological and inexpensive nursing intervention that can be implemented by the elderly themselves after training by community health nurses.

Composite healthy lifestyle, socioeconomic deprivation, and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective analysis

The adverse psychological and social impacts of COVID-19 pandemic are well characterized, but the role of composite, modifiable lifestyle factors that may interact to mitigate these impacts is not. The effect of socioeconomic deprivation on these lifestyle risks also remains unclear. Based on a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort, we assessed the association between a combination of pre-pandemic lifestyle factors and mental health conditions during pandemic, and the contribution of deprivation to it. Composite lifestyle factors included BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sedentary time, sleep duration, and fruit and vegetable intake, with lifestyle scores and lifestyle categories calculated for each participant. Symptoms of depression and anxiety, and personal well-being were assessed by validated scales during the pandemic. Socioeconomic deprivation was characterized by both individual-level (income, wealth, and education) and group-level factors (Index of Multiple Deprivation). Of the 5049 eligible participants (mean [SD] age, 68.1 [10.9] years; 57.2% were female) included in the study, 41.6% followed a favorable lifestyle, 48.9% followed an intermediate lifestyle, and 9.5% followed an unfavorable lifestyle. Compared with favorable lifestyle category, participants in the intermediate and unfavorable lifestyle category were at increased risk of mental health conditions, with the hazard ratio (HR) for trend per increment change towards unfavorable category of 1.17 (95% CI 1.09-1.26) for depression, 1.23 (1.07-1.42) for anxiety, and 1.39 (1.20-1.61) for low well-being. A significant trend of lower risk for mental health conditions with increasing number of healthy lifestyle factors was observed (P < 0.001 for trend). There were no significant interactions between lifestyle factors and socioeconomic deprivation for any of the outcomes, with similar HRs for trend per one increment change in lifestyle category observed in each deprivation group. Compared with those in the least deprived group with favorable lifestyle, participants in the most deprived group adherent to unfavorable lifestyle had the highest risk of mental health outcomes. These results suggest that adherence to a broad combination of healthy lifestyle factors was associated with a significantly reduced risk of mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lifestyle factors, in conjunction with socioeconomic deprivation, independently contribute to the risk of mental health issues. Although further research is needed to assess causality, the current findings support public health strategies and individual-level interventions that provide enhanced support in areas of deprivation and target multiple lifestyle factors to reduce health inequalities and promote mental well-being during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

[Influence of the Corona pandemic on cardiovascular risk factors - Data from 1775 participants of the ELITE study before and during the Corona pandemic]

BACKGROUND

 The COVID-19 pandemic and its interventions have led to a deficit in medical care and changes in people's lifestyles, which has consequently changed cardio- and cerebrovascular primary and secondary prevention. The existing data are mainly based on surveys. In addition to the problem of the accuracy of self-assessments, the pandemic per se and the massive public reporting may have biased the data.Only a few publications have compared data collected before the pandemic with results during the pandemic. The ELITE study has regularly monitored risk factors (RF) and psychosocial parameters (stress, depression, well-being, diet, brain performance, exercise) in over 5000 participants for years. From this study, data were analyzed from 1775 individuals collected before the onset and again during the pandemic (06/05/2020-25/01/2022). Thus, baseline values were unaffected by the pandemic.

RESULTS

 As expected, both improvements and worsening of the collected parameters were found. Blood pressure and depressive symptoms worsened significantly more often, with women more frequently affected. Weight and stress levels also increased more often than they improved. Only physical activity showed a slight increase. 24.1 % showed only deteriorations and no improvements in these parameters. In contrast, 19.6 % showed improvements exclusively. In the group with only worsening, there was a significant increase in individuals with the risk factors (RF) hypertension, obesity, elevated LDL cholesterol, nicotine, and diabetes mellitus. This resulted in an increase in individuals with 2 or more RF. In contrast, the number of individuals with 2 and more RF decreased in the group with only improvements. Strikingly, individuals with risk factors improved more frequently.

CONCLUSION

 A not insignificant part of the population experienced significant worsening of RF during the pandemic. This particularly affected blood pressure and depressive symptoms, and more often women.

Impact of Medical School on the Relationship between Nutritional Knowledge and Sleep Quality-A Longitudinal Study of Students at Wroclaw Medical University in Poland

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the first year of medical school on the relationship between nutritional knowledge and sleep. To achieve this, first-year medical students at Wroclaw Medical University were invited to participate in the study during both the initial and final months of their first academic year. The study included 570 students in the initial period and 705 in the latter. The research questionnaire comprised the KomPAN, assessing nutritional knowledge, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), evaluating sleep quality. The majority of students demonstrated at least sufficient nutritional knowledge, while approximately two-thirds of students experienced poor sleep in both periods. Notably, sleep quality further deteriorated in the second period (PSQI total score: 6.86 vs. 7.38, p = 0.0157). This change was influenced mainly by a decrease in sleep duration and an increase in the use of sleep medications (both p < 0.0001). The significant difference in overall sleep quality between different nutritional knowledge levels emerged only in the second semester, where students with the highest nutritional knowledge slept the best, while those with the lowest slept the worst (p = 0.0001). Crucially, in both periods, the use of sleep medications was highest among individuals with insufficient nutritional knowledge. Throughout the academic year, the usage increased for all except those with the highest nutritional knowledge, who exhibited the best sleep (p < 0.0001). The escalating use of sleep medications among medical students warrants greater attention, and leveraging the relationship between nutritional knowledge and sleep could prove beneficial, as positive habits in one domain may positively influence the other.

Sleep Quality in Older People: The Impact of Age, Professional Activity, Financial Situation, and Chronic Diseases During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

BACKGROUND The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic negatively affected health and social life, notably deteriorating sleep quality in older adults. Studies report inconsistent findings on sleep disturbances during this period, influenced by various physiological, emotional, and sociodemographic factors. This study aimed to identify these determining factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was conducted among 342 people 60 years of age or older participating in online classes of randomly selected Senior Clubs and the University of the Third Age in the southern regions of Poland. RESULTS Sleep problems (PSQI >5 points) were diagnosed in 250 subjects (83.6%). Logistic regression analysis showed that the quality of sleep significantly depends on: age, as people aged 66-70 were more likely to have better sleep quality than people aged 60-65 (OR=3.07), and those over 70 scored better than people aged 60-65 (OR=2.87); current job - employed people have a better chance of better sleep quality (OR=3.08) than unemployed people; financial situation, people assessing their financial situation as very good/good had a better chance of better sleep quality (OR=2.00) compared to people assessing their financial situation as very bad, bad/average; chronic diseases, people without chronic diseases had a chance of better sleep quality (OR=2.45) than people with chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS Age, financial situation, current job, and chronic disease were the most important factors determining sleep quality in older people. The identification of factors affecting sleep quality can be used as important data to develop interventions and programs to improve sleep quality.

Associations between changes in habitual sleep duration and lower self-rated health among COVID-19 survivors: findings from a survey across 16 countries/regions

BACKGROUND

Self-rated health (SRH) is widely recognized as a clinically significant predictor of subsequent mortality risk. Although COVID-19 may impair SRH, this relationship has not been extensively examined. The present study aimed to examine the correlation between habitual sleep duration, changes in sleep duration after infection, and SRH in subjects who have experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection.

METHODS

Participants from 16 countries participated in the International COVID Sleep Study-II (ICOSS-II) online survey in 2021. A total of 10,794 of these participants were included in the analysis, including 1,509 COVID-19 individuals (who reported that they had tested positive for COVID-19). SRH was evaluated using a 0-100 linear visual analog scale. Habitual sleep durations of < 6 h and > 9 h were defined as short and long habitual sleep duration, respectively. Changes in habitual sleep duration after infection of ≤ -2 h and ≥ 1 h were defined as decreased or increased, respectively.

RESULTS

Participants with COVID-19 had lower SRH scores than non-infected participants, and those with more severe COVID-19 had a tendency towards even lower SRH scores. In a multivariate regression analysis of participants who had experienced COVID-19, both decreased and increased habitual sleep duration after infection were significantly associated with lower SRH after controlling for sleep quality (β = -0.056 and -0.058, respectively, both p < 0.05); however, associations between current short or long habitual sleep duration and SRH were negligible. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that decreased habitual sleep duration was significantly related to increased fatigue (odds ratio [OR] = 1.824, p < 0.01), shortness of breath (OR = 1.725, p < 0.05), diarrhea/nausea/vomiting (OR = 2.636, p < 0.01), and hallucinations (OR = 5.091, p < 0.05), while increased habitual sleep duration was significantly related to increased fatigue (OR = 1.900, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in habitual sleep duration following SARS-CoV-2 infection were associated with lower SRH. Decreased or increased habitual sleep duration might have a bidirectional relation with post-COVID-19 symptoms. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying these relationships for in order to improve SRH in individuals with COVID-19.

Age group differences in psychological distress and leisure-time exercise/socioeconomic status during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis during 2020 to 2021 of a cohort study in Japan

Objective

This study aimed to determine the association between psychological distress and leisure-time exercise/socioeconomic status by age group, using data from a cohort study in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among participants in the ME-BYO cohort, aged 20-85 years, living or working in Kanagawa, Japan. A questionnaire was disseminated to 1,573 participants (51.7% men) between December 2020 and March 2021. The questionnaire items included psychological distress (using the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [K6]), leisure-time exercise, and socioeconomic status. Multivariate analyses were conducted using logistic regression analysis for each age group.

Results

We found that 47.4% of 20-39-year-olds, 40.6% of 40-64-year-olds, and 28.3% of 65-85-year-olds experienced psychological distress (K6: ≥5 points). For those aged 20-39 years, leisure-time exercise (odds ratio [OR] (95% confidence interval) = 0.45 (0.28-0.73)) and higher annual household income [0.53 (0.32-0.90)] were associated with less psychological distress. For those aged 40-64 years, older age was associated with less psychological distress, while full-time work [1.98 (1.05-9.71)] was associated with more psychological distress. In the 65-85-year age group, higher education and higher annual income tended to be associated with less psychological distress. For those over 40 years of age, living with other(s) was associated with reduced psychological distress.

Conclusion

In the general population of Japan, not engaging in leisure-time exercise and low income affect psychological distress among young adults. Further detailed studies are needed to consider overall physical activity, job type, and work style.

Exercise Effect on Mental Health in Isolating or Quarantining Adults

INTRODUCTION: In response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), travelers are typically subject to quarantine, which is often associated with poorer mental health (MH). While the protective benefits of community-based exercise are widely recognized, the degree to which this extends to the confined setting is unknown. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effect of exercise on MH in isolating or quarantining adults.METHODS: A literature search of Ovid MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews limited to January 2019-September 2021 inclusive yielded five eligible studies.RESULTS: Data comprised a total of 2755 college and university students, most of whom were confined. Depending on the scale used, 24.9-76.7% of respondents demonstrated impaired MH, which improved with physical activity (PA), especially when regular and moderate or vigorous. The frequency, duration, and participants of exercise increased as lockdown progressed. One study showed that while sleep, diet, and PA all have an impact on MH, PA was the factor most strongly correlated with MH.DISCUSSION: Physical fitness should be optimized before and maintained during quarantine while exercise space and equipment should be accessible. Importantly, the sustainability of persistent quarantine must be considered given the pervasiveness of COVID-19.Chu V, Newman DG. Exercise effect on mental health in isolating or quarantining adults. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(9):686-695.

Association of Sociodemographic Factors with Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Arab and Non-Arab Individuals of Both Sexes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

We explored the association of sociodemographic and anthropometric factors with self-reported physical activity (PA) and sleep quality in Arab and non-Arab individuals of both sexes during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, 638 participants (those recovered from COVID-19 = 149, and non-infected = 489) of both sexes aged 18-55 years were recruited. Their sociodemographic and anthropometric information, PA (self-reported using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-form [IPAQ-SF)]) and sleep quality (self-reported using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) were documented. The association between participants' characteristics, PA levels, and sleep quality were determined using the chi-squared test. Variables significantly associated with IPAQ and PSQI in bivariate analyses were included in a multivariate binary logistic regression model. Men were more active than women (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66, p = 0.010), and non-Arab participants were more active than Arab ones (OR = 1.49, p = 0.037). Participants ≥40 years, men, non-Arab participants, and those who were working were more likely to have a good sleep quality than those ≤40 years (OR 1.70, p = 0.048), women (OR 1.10, p = 0.725), Arab individuals (OR 1.95, p = 0.002), and unemployed people (OR 2.76, p = 0.007). Male and non-Arab participants seemed to have a better self-reported PA and sleep quality compared to female and Arab participants, during the pandemic.

Insomnia symptoms among older adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

To identify sociodemographic, psychological, and health factors related to trajectories of insomnia symptoms in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

From May 2020 to May 2021, 644 older adults (mean age = 78.73, SD = 5.60) completed telephone-administered self-reported measures (ie, Insomnia Severity Index, consensus sleep diaries, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Post-Traumatic Checklist, perceived health threat, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and provided sociodemographic data at 4 timepoints. Using the Insomnia Severity Index score at each timepoint, group-based trajectory modeling was conducted to identify groups with distinct insomnia trajectories.

RESULTS

On average, there was no significant change in insomnia symptoms over time. Three groups with distinct sleep trajectories were identified: clinical (11.8%), subthreshold (25.3%), and good sleepers (62.9%). Older adults who were younger, male, had elevated psychological distress and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, perceived more SARS-CoV-2 health threat, spent more time in bed, and had shorter sleep duration during the first wave of the pandemic were more likely to belong to the clinical than to the good sleepers group. Those who were younger, female, had elevated psychological distress and PTSD symptoms, greater loneliness, spent more time in bed, and had reduced sleep duration during the first wave were more likely to belong to the subthreshold than to the good sleepers group.

CONCLUSIONS

Over 1 in 3 older adults experienced persistent subthreshold or clinically significant insomnia symptoms. Both sleep-related behaviors as well as general and COVID-19-related psychological factors were associated with insomnia trajectories.

Impact of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sleep patterns of a Brazilian population sample

Humanitarian and health crisis have drastic effects on the physical and mental well-being of people. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many countries to impose containment measures on its population to halt the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This aim of this study was to explore self-reported sleep quality and insomnia symptoms in a sample of the Brazilian population before and during the COVID-19 quarantine period. Our data was collected through online questionnaires, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Insomnia Severity Index, and the Sleep Hygiene Index. The final sample comprised 1,109 volunteers. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) revealed that during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, alterations in self-reported sleep parameters were observed in the participants. Sleep efficiency and sleep duration increased, but there was a worsening in sleep quality and an increase in symptoms related to insomnia.

Sleep Disturbance and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations in Patients With Chronic Inflammatory Disease

OBJECTIVE

Immunocompromised patients with chronic inflammatory disease (CID) may have experienced additional psychosocial burden during the COVID-19 pandemic due to their immunocompromised status. This study was undertaken to determine if vaccination would result in improved patient-reported outcomes longitudinally among individuals with CID undergoing SARS-CoV-2 vaccination regardless of baseline anxiety.

METHODS

Data are from a cohort of individuals with CID from 2 sites who underwent SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Participants completed 3 study visits before and after 2 messenger RNA vaccine doses in the initial vaccination series when clinical data were collected. Patient-reported outcomes were measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 29-item Health Profile and expressed as T scores, with 2 groups stratified by high and low baseline anxiety. Mixed-effects models were used to examine longitudinal changes, adjusting for age, sex, and study site.

RESULTS

A total of 72% of the cohort was female with a mean ± SD age of 48.1 ± 15.5 years. Overall, sleep disturbance improved following both doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, and anxiety decreased after the second dose. Physical function scores worsened but did not meet the minimally important difference threshold. When stratifying by baseline anxiety, improvement in anxiety, fatigue, and social participation were greater in the high anxiety group. Physical function worsened slightly in both groups, and sleep disturbance improved significantly in the high anxiety group.

CONCLUSION

Sleep disturbance decreased in a significant and meaningful way in patients with CID upon vaccination. In patients with higher baseline anxiety, social participation increased, and anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbance decreased. Overall, results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may improve mental health and well-being, particularly among those with greater anxiety.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Depression Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Areas in Thailand

Purpose

This study examined the prevalence of and factors associated with depression symptoms among Thai older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients and Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among older adults in urban areas in Bangkok, Thailand, between July and October 2021. The 15-item Thai Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS-15) was used to determine the prevalence of depression symptoms, and multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify the associated factors.

Results

A total 156 older adults survey responses were received. The largest group of participants (80.8%) was aged below 70, women (50.6%), married (67.9%), retired (41%), having sufficient income (67.9%), living with their families (89.1%). More than half (71.8%) had an underlying disease, with hypertension being the most common (39.1%). In addition, 17.3% of the participants had received compulsory COVID-19 vaccination. Only 0.6% had a history of COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of depression among Thai older adults was 20.5%. Univariate analysis demonstrated occupation and income sufficiency was associated with depression symptoms. The results of the multivariate analysis found that the "non-worker" group was 3.54 times more likely to experience depression symptoms than the reference group (OR = 3.54, 95% CI = 1.25-10.02, p = 0.018) when controlling for the confounding factors.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of addressing depression symptoms among Thai older adults, in which occupation and income sufficiency were the main variable factors for depression. Our study further suggested that the importance of interventions such as increasing job availability and establishing financial aid policies may ameliorate depression symptoms among older adults, especially in high-risk groups during the pandemic situation such as the COVID-19.

Effects of Taiwan's COVID-19 alert levels on the physical activity behaviors and psychological distress of community-dwelling older adults

BACKGROUND

The Taiwanese government implemented stringent preventative health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, these measures negatively affected the physical activity behaviors and psychological distress of individuals. In this study, we investigated the effects of Taiwan's COVID-19 alert-based restrictions on the physical activity behaviors and psychological distress of community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

In this longitudinal study, 500 community-dwelling older adults were randomly sampled from a health promotion center in Taiwan. Telephone interviews were conducted between May 11, 2021, and August 17, 2021, which coincided with the Level 3 alert period when group physical activities were prohibited. Telephone interviews were again conducted between June 20, 2022, and July 4, 2022, after the alert level was reduced to Level 2 but group physical activities were prohibited period. Through the telephone interviews, data regarding the participants' physical activity behaviors (type and amount) and 5-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-5) scores were collected. Moreover, data regarding physical activity behaviors were collected from the records of our previous health promotion programs, which were conducted before the national alert period. The obtained data were analyzed.

RESULTS

The alert levels influenced physical activity behaviors. Because of strict regulations, physical activity amount decreased during the Level 3 alert period and did not recover rapidly during the Level 2 alert period. Instead of engaging in group exercises (e.g., calisthenics and qigong), the older adults chose to exercise alone (e.g., strolling, brisk walking, and biking). Our findings indicate that the COVID-19 alert level has a significant influence on the amount of physical activity for participants (p < 0.05, partial η2 = 0.256), with pairwise comparisons showing that the physical activity amount decreased significantly across the three time periods (p < 0.05). The psychological distress of the participants did not appear to change during the regulation period. Although the participants' overall BSRS-5 score was slightly lower during the Level 2 alert period compared to the Level 3 alert period, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.264, Cohen's d = 0.08) based on a paired t-test. However, the levels of anxiety (p = 0.003, Cohen's d = 0.23) and inferiority (p = 0.034, Cohen's d = 0.159) were considerably higher during the Level 2 alert period than during the Level 3 alert period.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that Taiwan's COVID-19 alert levels influenced the physical activity behaviors and psychological distress of community-dwelling older adults. Time is required for older adults to regain their prior status after their physical activity behaviors and psychological distress were affected by national regulations.

Association between diet history and symptoms of individuals having recovered from COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Many studies show that people who eat a balanced diet have stronger immunity. The present work aimed to identify the effects of the diet history of COVID-19 patients having recovered from the disease on the occurrence and severity of symptoms.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 346 individuals aged 20-65 years. The participants' data and answers to an electronic questionnaire regarding their diet history and symptoms were collected. The study focused on four hard symptoms (fever, body pain, cough, and dyspnoea) to investigate the relationship between these symptoms and the consumption of specific immunity foods.

RESULTS

Symptoms were reported by 88.1% of the participants eating none of the foods investigated, whereas 85.54% and 85.55% of the individuals with little or intensive food intake, respectively, experienced symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Intake of specific functional foods might slightly reduce the occurrence of some symptoms.

Examination of sleep in relation to dietary and lifestyle behaviors during Ramadan: A multi-national study using structural equation modeling among 24,500 adults amid COVID-19

Background

Of around 2 billion Muslims worldwide, approximately 1.5 billion observe Ramadan fasting (RF) month. Those that observe RF have diverse cultural, ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds and are distributed over a wide geographical area. Sleep is known to be significantly altered during the month of Ramadan, which has a profound impact on human health. Moreover, sleep is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle behaviors.

Methods

This cross-sectional study collected data using a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire that was translated into 13 languages and disseminated to Muslim populations across 27 countries. The questionnaire assessed dietary and lifestyle factors as independent variables, and three sleep parameters (quality, duration, and disturbance) as dependent variables. We performed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine how dietary and lifestyle factors affected these sleep parameters.

Results

In total, 24,541 adults were enrolled in this study. SEM analysis revealed that during RF, optimum sleep duration (7-9 h) was significantly associated with sufficient physical activity (PA) and consuming plant-based proteins. In addition, smoking was significantly associated with greater sleep disturbance and lower sleep quality. Participants that consumed vegetables, fruits, dates, and plant-based proteins reported better sleep quality. Infrequent consumption of delivered food and infrequent screen time were also associated with better sleep quality. Conflicting results were found regarding the impact of dining at home versus dining out on the three sleep parameters.

Conclusion

Increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins are important factors that could help improve healthy sleep for those observing RF. In addition, regular PA and avoiding smoking may contribute to improving sleep during RF.

An examination of the reciprocal associations between physical activity and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality during the first 9 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium

During the initial outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many countries imposed a total lockdown (containment at home). Although it was still allowed in Belgium to be physically active or exercise with people from your household in the vicinity of your home, engaging in sports or physical activity in a group or club context was no longer permitted. To examine whether a lack of physical activity was potentially threatening to the mental well-being of citizens and vice versa, the present study examined concurrent and reciprocal relationships between physical activity and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality during the COVID-19 lockdown in a 9-week longitudinal design. In a sample of 983 Belgian adults (75.1% female; M _age = 43.78, range = 18-82 years), we explored these relationships at both the between- and within-person levels through random intercept cross-lagged panel models. The findings indicate that more physical activity was associated with lower symptoms of anxiety and depression and better sleep quality, a finding observed both at the between-person (across weeks; β_anxiety = -0.25, β_depression = -0.30, β_{sleep quality} = 0.24, p < .001) and within-person level (within weeks; β_anxiety = -0.10, β_depression = -0.14, β_{sleep quality} = 0.11, p < .05). Moreover, at the within-person level, an increase in feelings of anxiety and depression at one moment predicted lower levels of physical activity one week later (β_anxiety = -0.04, β_depression = -0.06, p < .05). Since poor mental health poses a threat to the maintenance of physical activity, the current findings suggest that it is critical to invest in the mental health of individuals during distressing times.

Sleep duration during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: A GIS-based large sample survey study

Although several studies have been conducted in Bangladesh regarding sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, none have utilized a large nationwide sample or presented their findings based on nationwide geographical distribution. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the total sleep duration, night-time sleep, and daily naptime and their associated factors as well as geographic information system (GIS) distribution. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 9730 people in April 2020, including questions relating to socio-demographic variables, behavioral and health factors, lockdown, depression, suicidal ideation, night sleep duration, and naptime duration. Descriptive and inferential statistics, both linear and multivariate regression, and spatial distribution were performed using Microsoft Excel, SPSS, Stata, and ArcGIS software. The results indicated that 64.7% reported sleeping 7-9 h a night, while 29.6% slept less than 7 h nightly, and 5.7% slept more than 9 h nightly. 43.7% reported 30-60 min of daily nap duration, whereas 20.9% napped for more than 1 h daily. Significant predictors of total daily sleep duration were being aged 18-25 years, being unemployed, being married, self-isolating 4 days or more, economic hardship, and depression. For nap duration, being aged 18-25 years, retired, a smoker, and a social media user were at relatively higher risk. The GIS distribution showed that regional division areas with high COVID-19 exposure had higher rates of non-normal sleep duration. Sleep duration showed a regional heterogeneity across the regional divisions of the country that exhibited significant associations with a multitude of socioeconomic and health factors.

Anxiety prevalence and its association with physical activity in patients with non-communicable diseases during COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China

BACKGROUND

Quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have created great psychological stress among vulnerable populations. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and explore the association between physical activities (PA) and anxiety risk in people with non-communicable diseases during the period of COVID-19 lockdown.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey from February 25 to April 20, 2020, the period of COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai. Up to 8000 patients with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension were selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling. PA level was measured based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire using Metabolic Equivalent for Task scores, while symptoms of anxiety were assessed by the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations of type and level of PA with the risk of anxiety.

RESULTS

Of a total 4877 eligible patients, 2602 (53.4%) reported with anxiety, and 2463 (50.5%), 123 (2.5%) and 16 (0.3%) reported with mild, moderate, and severe anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety was higher in the females, the elders, non-smokers, non-drinkers, and patients with diabetes, and the associations of anxiety with sex, age, smoking, drinking and diagnosis of diabetes were significant. A significant negative association was observed for housework activities (OR 0.53, 95%CI: [0.45, 0.63], p < 0.001) and trip activities (OR 0.55, 95%CI: [0.48, 0.63], p < 0.001) with anxiety, but no significant was found for exercise activities (OR 1.06, 95%CI: [0.94, 1.20], p = 0.321). Compared with patients with a low PA level, those with a moderate (OR 0.53, 95%CI: [0.44, 0.64], p < 0.001) or a high PA level (OR 0.51, 95%CI: [0.43, 0.51], p < 0.001) had a lower prevalence of anxiety.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates a higher prevalence of anxiety in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both during the COVID-19 lockdown. The negative associations of housework and trip activities with anxiety highlight the potential benefit of PA among patients with non-communicable diseases.

Level of Physical Activity, Sleep Quality and Use of Personal Protective Equipment of Students at Wroclaw Medical University during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study was conducted in October 2020 and March 2021 among Wroclaw Medical University students of different years and faculties. The objective of the study was to establish the relationship between some determinants, such as gender and the levels of physical activity, and the quality of sleep of medical students during the pandemic. Ultimately, 696 responses from October and 652 from March were included. To determine the level of physical activity, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used, and for sleep quality, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used. The findings pointed to a higher Total MET m/w (metabolic equivalent of task in minutes a week) in men compared to women in both study periods (2020: 1845.8 to 1542.5, p = 0.009; 2021: 2040.7 to 1826.6, p = 0.025). This was mainly due to a higher Vigorous Exercises MET m/w in men (2020: 837.3 to 635.8, p = 0.008; 2021: 773.3 to 490.3, p = 0.0006). Moreover, women had a lower quality of sleep resulting from problems in Habitual Sleep Efficiency, Sleep Disturbances, and Daytime Dysfunctions. An adequate level of physical activity and a good night's rest are the fundaments of health; therefore, it is necessary to determine the causes of their deficiencies in order that we can counteract them.

The Changes in Levels and Barriers of Physical Activity Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults During and After the Fifth Wave of COVID-19 Outbreak in Hong Kong: Repeated Random Telephone Surveys

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 has had an impact on physical activity (PA) among older adults; however, it is unclear whether this effect would be long-lasting, and there is a dearth of studies assessing the changes in barriers to performing PA among older adults before and after entering the "postpandemic era."

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the levels and barriers of PA among a random sample of community-dwelling older adults recruited during (February to April 2022) and after the fifth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak (May to July 2022) in Hong Kong. In addition, we investigated factors associated with a low PA level among participants recruited at different time points.

METHODS

This study involved two rounds of random telephone surveys. Participants were community-dwelling Chinese-speaking individuals aged 65 years or above and having a Hong Kong ID card. Household telephone numbers were randomly selected from the most updated telephone directories. Experienced interviewers carried out telephone interviews between 6 PM and 10 PM on weekdays and between 2 PM and 9 PM on Saturdays to avoid undersampling of working individuals. We called 3900 and 3840 households in the first and second round, respectively; for each round, 640 and 625 households had an eligible older adult and 395 and 370 completed the telephone survey, respectively.

RESULTS

As compared to participants in the first round, fewer participants indicated a low level of PA in the second round (28.6% vs 45.9%, P<.001). Participants in the second round had higher metabolic equivalent of tasks-minutes/week (median 1707.5 vs 840, P<.001) and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA per week (median 240 vs 105, P<.001) than those in the first round. After adjustment for significant background characteristics, participants who perceived a lack of physical capacity to perform PA (first round: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.34, P=.001; second round: 2.92, P=.002) and believed that PA would cause pain and discomfort (first round: AOR 2.04, P=.02; second round: 2.82, P=.001) were more likely to have a low level of PA in both rounds. Lack of time (AOR 4.19, P=.01) and concern about COVID-19 infection during PA (AOR 1.73, P=.02) were associated with a low level of PA among participants in the first round, but not in the second round. A perceived lack of space and facility to perform PA at home (AOR 2.03, P=.02) and unable to find people to do PA with (AOR 1.80, P=.04) were associated with a low PA level in the second round, but not in the first round.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of PA increased significantly among older adults after Hong Kong entered the "postpandemic era." Different factors influenced older adults' PA level during and after the fifth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. Regular monitoring of the PA level and its associated factors should be conducted to guide health promotion and policy-making.

Fear of COVID-19 and Anxiety: Serial Mediation by Trust in the Government and Hope

Purpose

How to reduce the damage of COVID-19 pandemic to people's mental health is a current research hotspot. The present study examined the mediating role of trust in the government and hope in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety.

Participants and Methods

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1053 Chinese subjects (20.24±3.97 years old, 85.3% female) were investigated by using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Anxiety Scale, Trust in the Government Measure Scale and Herth Hope Scale, which was conducted by an online survey using snowball sampling technique. Hayes PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to test the hypothesized mediating effects of trust in the government and hope in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety.

Results

The fear of COVID-19 could positively predict anxiety level (β=0.36, p<0.001). Results of the mediation analyses demonstrated that trust in the government (β=-0.16, p<0.001) and hope (β=-0.28, p<0.001) mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety level respectively. Moreover, fear of COVID-19 could also indirectly predict anxiety level through the chain-mediated role of the trust in the government and the hope (β=0.28, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Our findings shed light on a correlation between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety. This study emphasizes the value of trust in the government and hope in maintaining mental health when individuals face public stress events from both external and internal perspectives.

Trajectories of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling older adults in Quebec: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated public health measures may increase the risk for psychological distress among vulnerable older adults. This longitudinal study aimed to identify predictors of psychological distress trajectories among community-dwelling older adults in Quebec, Canada.

METHODS

The study spanned four time points across 13 months and three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 645 community-dwelling older adults ages 60 years and older in Quebec. Participants completed telephone-based interviews that included the Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6) to assess psychological distress at each time point as well as information on socioeconomic, medical, psychological and COVID-19 related factors. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify distinct trajectories of psychological distress across time.

RESULTS

Three group-based trajectories of psychological distress were identified: the resilient (50.5%), reactive (34.9%), and elevated distress groups (14.6%). Individuals with mobility issues, insomnia symptoms, COVID-19 related acute stress, general health anxiety, increased loneliness symptoms, and those unable to use technology to see others were more likely to be in the reactive and elevated groups than the resilient group. Those with past mental health problems had uniquely increased odds of being in the reactive group compared to the resilient group. Individuals living in poverty and those who reported taking psychotropic medication had increased odds of being in the elevated distress group compared to the resilient group.

CONCLUSION

These findings characterized distinct trajectories of psychological distress in older adults and identified risk factors for elevated distress levels.

Changes in sleep quality and sleep disturbances in the general population from before to during the COVID-19 lockdown: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to explore changes in sleep quality and sleep disturbances in the general population from before to during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods

The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021256378) and the PRISMA guidelines were followed. The major databases and gray literature were systematically searched from inception to 28/05/2021 to identify observational studies evaluating sleep changes in the general population during the lockdown with respect to the pre-lockdown period. A random effects meta-analysis was undertaken for studies reporting (a) the means of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global scores or the means of the sleep onset latency (SOL) times (minutes - min) before and during the lockdown, (b) the percentages of poor sleep quality before and during the lockdown, or (c) the percentages of changes in sleep quality. Subgroup analysis by risk of bias and measurement tool utilized was carried out. A narrative synthesis on sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, insomnia and sleep medication consumption was also performed.

Results

Sixty-three studies were included. A decline in sleep quality, reflected in a pooled increase in the PSQI global scores (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.26; 95% CI 0.17-0.34) and in SOL (SMD = 0.38 min; 95% CI 0.30-0.45) were found. The percentage of individuals with poor sleep quality increased during the lockdown (pooled relative risk 1.4; 95% CI 1.24-1.61). Moreover, 57.3% (95% CI 50.01-61.55) of the individuals reported a change in sleep quality; in 37.3% (95% CI 34.27-40.39) of these, it was a worsening. The studies included in the systematic review reported a decrease in sleep efficiency and an increase in sleep disturbances, insomnia, and in sleep medication consumption.

Discussion

Timely interventions are warranted in view of the decline in sleep quality and the increase in sleep disturbances uncovered and their potentially negative impact on health. Further research and in particular longitudinal studies using validated instruments examining the long-term impact of the lockdown on sleep variables is needed.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021256378, identifier CRD42021256378.

The Role of Self-Esteem in the Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Anxiety of Left-Behind Experience College Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Study

Background

There is growing evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on public mental health. However, less attention has been paid to left-behind experience college students (LBEs). This online study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and anxiety among LBEs during COVID-19 pandemic, and further analyze the mediation role of self-esteem between them.

Methods

A total of 9990 students were chosen using the stratified cluster sampling method. Three self-reported questionnaires were used to assess the PsyCap, self-esteem, and anxiety, respectively. All the statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 23.0 and R, and to further investigate the mediation effect of self-esteem in the association of PsyCap with anxiety, AMOS 23.0 was used to build a structural equation model.

Results

PsyCap, self-esteem, and anxiety were significantly correlated among LBEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. PsyCap affects anxiety directly (β = -0.22, SE = 0.051, 95% CI: -0.27, -0.17, P < 0.05). In addition, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between PsyCap and anxiety (mediating effect value = -0.16, 95% CI: -0.20, -0.13, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

During the pandemic of COVID-19, left-behind experience had a negative influence on the PsyCap and self-esteem of college students. In addition, for LBEs, self-esteem plays an important mediating role between PsyCap and anxiety. Therefore, from the perspective of PsyCap and self-esteem, schools should translate them into practical educational strategies to enhance the mental health and mitigate the anxiety levels of LBEs.

Estimation of Lockdowns' Impact on Well-Being in Selected Countries: An Application of Novel Bayesian Methods and Google Search Queries Data

Lockdowns introduced in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant impact on societies from an economic, psychological, and health perspective. This paper presents estimations of their impact on well-being, understood both from the perspective of mental health and considering economic security and similar factors. This is not an easy task because well-being is influenced by numerous factors and the changes happen dynamically. Moreover, there are some obstacles when using the control group. However, other studies show that in certain cases it is possible to approximate selected phenomena with Google search queries data. Secondly, the econometric issues related to the suitable modeling of such a problem can be solved, for example, by using Bayesian methods. In particular, herein the recently gaining in popularity Bayesian structural time series and Bayesian dynamic mixture models are used. Indeed, these methods have not been used in social sciences extensively. However, in the fields where they have been used, they have been very efficient. Especially, they are useful when short time series are analyzed and when there are many variables that potentially have a significant explanatory impact on the response variable. Finally, 15 culturally different and geographically widely scattered countries are analyzed (i.e., Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Little evidence of any substantial changes in the Internet search intensity on terms connected with negative aspects of well-being and mental health issues is found. For example, in Mexico, some evidence of a decrease in well-being after lockdown was found. However, in Italy, there was weak evidence of an increase in well-being. Nevertheless, the Bayesian structural time series method has been found to fit the data most accurately. Indeed, it was found to be a superior method for causal analysis over the commonly used difference-in-differences method or Bayesian dynamic mixture models.

The Effects of Exercise Training on Recovery of Biochemical and Hematological Outcomes in Patients Surviving COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Assessor-Blinded Trial

BACKGROUND

No previous research has investigated the direct effects of exercise interventions on COVID-19 outcomes. The aim is to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of home-based moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), resistance training (RT), and combined aerobic and resistance training (CET) on biochemical and hematologic markers associated with COVID-19 symptoms and severity in COVID-19 survivors.

METHODS

A total of 547 male and female COVID-19 survivors were screened, and 296 (aged 20-93 years) were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to one of four groups: MICT (n = 74), RT (n = 74), CET (n = 74), or non-exercise (NON-EX, n = 74). Blood samples were taken at baseline, at week 4, and week 8 after training.

RESULTS

After the intervention, compared with the NON-EX group, all 3 MICT, RT, and CET interventions caused significant improvements in the levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), troponin-I, d-dimer, creatinine, urea, potassium (K), sodium (Na), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, red blood cells (RBC), platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit concentrations (P < 0.05). CET was effectively superior to MICT and RT in the improvements in the biochemical and hematological variables studied (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the present study demonstrates that long-term MICT plus RT interventions have a synergistic effect in accelerating and enhancing the recovery in patients surviving COVID-19. Trial registration IRCT20160605028270N3, 6 September 2020.

Effects of COVID-19 related physical inactivity on motor skills in children with intellectual disability

BACKGROUND

Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) may show declines in motor skills during the Covid-19 restrictions. This study compared the effects of physical inactivity due to COVID-19 on the motor skills of active and inactive children with ID.

METHOD

In this prospective cohort study, 30 boys with ID were divided into two groups based on study inclusion criteria (mean age 10.86 ± 1.81 active, 10.20 ± 1.42 inactive). The BESS test, the Y test, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Bruininks-Oseretsky test-short form were used.

RESULTS

Results showed a significant difference between active and inactive groups in the total score of gross motor skills (P = 0.001), fine motor skills (P = 0.002), motor skills (P = 0.001), postural control (P = 0.01), and dynamic balance (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed a significant difference between active and inactive children with ID in terms of gross and fine motor skills after a one-year movement restriction. Therefore, considering the tendency to be sedentary among these people and the subsequent complications caused by this inactivity, including obesity and chronic diseases, it is suggested that parents and educators design practical and numerous exercises and encourage them to be more active and participate in physical activity programs.

Synchronous online lecturing or blended flipped classroom with jigsaw: an educational intervention during the Covid-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the education system throughout the world. This study aimed to compare synchronous online lecturing with blended flipped classroom plus jigsaw in terms of their effects on the students' learning, communication skills and critical thinking disposition.

METHODS

This is an educational intervention conducted at the Nursing and Midwifery School of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Two incoming students of nursing and midwifery were selected by complete enumeration. Then synchronous online lecturing was given to one group (n = 40) and blended flipped classroom and jigsaw to the other (n = 44). After that, given the prevailing conditions, both methods were performed fully online. Then Participants completed an online questionnaire. A researcher-made learning questionnaire, the Interpersonal Communication Skills Questionnaire developed by Fetro, and Ricketts' Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory were used to assess the study variables.

RESULTS

The mean learning scores in the blended group were slightly higher but this difference was not significant (P = 0.767). In the blended group, the mean scores of communication skills were significantly higher after the intervention in all the dimensions, except for empathy & intimacy and listening skills. In the online lecture group, there was no significant difference between before and after the intervention. Communication skills (P < 0.001) scored significantly higher in the blended group after the intervention than that in the synchronous online lecturing group in all the dimensions except for empathy & intimacy. In the online lecture group, there was no significant difference in critical thinking disposition between before and after the intervention. In the blended group, the overall score of critical thinking disposition and its dimensions was significantly higher after the intervention (P < 0.001), except for the perfection dimension. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean total score of critical thinking disposition and its dimensions before and after the intervention.

CONCLUSION

Given the global circumstances, the blended method was more effective in promoting learning outcomes and communication skills than synchronous online lectures. Furthermore, it seems that this new approach could improve critical thinking.

Changes in the body composition of boys aged 11-18 years due to COVID-19 measures in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND

The lockdown measures related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) impacted the health of adolescents by reducing physical activity (PA). The physical changes in response to decreases in PA can be measured with full body composition analysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term PA restrictions on body fat (BF), fat-free mass (FFM) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 1669 boys (before PA restriction (G1): 998; after PA restrictions ended (G2): 671; between the ages of 11 and 18 were included. The measured parameters were body mass (BM), visceral fat area (VFA), BF, FFM and SMM. The whole-body composition was evaluated using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).

RESULTS

Compared to G1, G2 exhibited an increase in BF between 1.2 and 5.1%. This difference was significant in boys aged 13 to 18 years (p < 0.05). VFA increased between 5.3 and 20.5 cm²; this increase was significant in boys aged 13 to 18 years (p < 0.05). SMM decreased between 2.6 and 3.8%, and this decrease was significant in all age groups (p < 0.05). Changes in body composition were not accompanied by any significant changes in BM.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 restrictions reduced PA, resulting in a significant decrease in SMM. This decrease may impact boys' ability to engage in sufficiently varied PA, which may lead to a further decline in PA and subsequent medical consequences in adulthood.

Is there a diurnal variation of COVID-19 patients warranting presentation to the health centre? A chronobiological observational cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The circadian clock regulates the function of the immune system, the replication of viruses, and the magnitude of infections. The aim of this study was to analyse whether hospital attendance in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients presents a diurnal variation.

METHODS

Data from the electronic medical records of 1094 COVID-19 patients who presented to a Health Centre in Qatar during the month of July 2020 was retrospectively analysed. The following demographic (i.e. time of day (TOD), sex, age), clinical (i.e. cycle threshold (CT), temperature, oxy-haemoglobin saturation and resting heart-rate), biochemical (i.e. uraemia, glycaemia and albuminia) and haematological (i.e. leukocytes, erythrocytes ad platelets) parameters were collected.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis showed a significant effect of TOD on hospital admission (p < 0.001), with patients attending the health care centre more during the active behavioural phase (08h00-00h00) compared to the resting phase (00h00-08h00). COVID-19 infection blunted the circadian rhythms of core body temperature, neutrophils and leukocytes family and shifted the circadian rhythms of resting heart-rate and uraemia. Correlation analysis showed a near perfect negative correlation between the age of patients and the TOD (r=-0.97), with older patients attending the care centre earlier during the day.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 infection affected the circadian rhythms of the host through disrupting the circadian rhythms of core temperature and innate immunity mediators. Old patients attend the health care centre earlier compared to younger ones. However, CT during polymerase chain reaction-test was unaffected by the TOD, which limits the conclusion that COVID-19 viral infection exhibits diurnal variation.

Subjective sleep alterations in healthy subjects worldwide during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide an update on sleep quality in different world areas and better characterize subjective sleep alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering gender distribution and specific pandemic-related parameters, we also intend to identify significant predictors of sleep problems.

METHODS

Six electronic databases were searched from December 2019 to November 2021 for studies investigating sleep during COVID-19 employing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep, the Insomnia Severity Index or the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Random-effects models were implemented to estimate the pooled raw means of subjective sleep alterations. Also, we considered the role of several pandemic-related parameters (i.e., days from the first COVID-19 case, government stringency index, new cases for a million people, new deaths for a million people) by means of meta-regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 139 studies were selected. The pooled mean of the global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (PSQIgen) was 6.73 (95% CI, 6.61-6.85). The insomnia severity index score was reported from 50 studies with a pooled mean of 8.44 (95% CI, 7.53-9.26). Subgroup analyses confirmed that most subcategories had poor sleep quality and subclinical insomnia. Meta-regressions showed that PSQIgen was predicted by days from the first COVID-19 case and government restrictions with a negative slope and by female gender with a positive slope. The government stringency index was positively correlated with the direct subjective evaluation of sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

We found an overall impaired sleep and widespread subthreshold insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The female percentage seems to be the best predictor of impaired sleep quality, consistently to the available literature. Noteworthy, sleep alterations were inversely associated with governmental restrictions and decreased during the pandemic. Our results give a contribution to critically orienting further studies on sleep since COVID-19 pandemic.

Being Physically Active Leads to Better Recovery Prognosis for People Diagnosed with COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

The regular practice of physical activity helps in the prevention and control of several non-communicable diseases. However, evidence on the role of physical activity in mitigating worsening clinical outcomes in people with COVID-19 is still unclear. The aim of this study was to verify whether different levels of physical activity provide protection for clinical outcomes caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 adults (43.8 ± 15.71 years; 61.1% female) with a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 residing in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were interviewed by telephone to determine the severity of the infection and the physical activity performed. Binary logistic regression was used to indicate the odds ratio (OR) of active people reporting less harmful clinical outcomes from COVID-19. Active people had a lower chance of hospitalization, fewer hospitalization days, less respiratory difficulty and needed less oxygen support. The results suggest that active people, compared to sedentary people, have a lower frequency of hospitalization, length of stay, breathing difficulty and need for oxygen support. These results corroborate the importance of public policies to promote the practice of physical activity, in order to mitigate the severity of the clinical outcomes of COVID-19.

Changes in preventive behaviour after COVID-19 vaccination in Thailand: a cross-sectional study

Background

Protective behaviours (e.g., mask-wearing, handwashing, avoiding social gatherings) and mass vaccination are effective ways to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Previous studies found that people who get vaccinated may change their protective behaviours. The Thai government has endorsed several mix-and-match vaccine regimens to eliminate the insufficiency of each vaccine brand. This study aimed to determine levels of protective behavioural changes after COVID-19 vaccination and its relationship with various vaccine regimens in Thailand.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between September 13, 2021, and January 14, 2022. Data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms and posters in public places in Thailand. The questionnaire comprised six items for demographic characteristics, seven items for COVID-19 vaccine regimens, and four items for protective behaviours. The vaccinated Thai population aged ≥ 18 years were surveyed. Statistical analyses included a Chi-squared test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and multivariate logistic regressions.

Results

Of the 469 participants, more than half were females (67.4%), single (57.4%), and lived in an urban area (67.2%). Significant differences were observed with regard to median scores in handwashing (5.0 vs. 5.0, p-value < 0.001), physical distancing (4.0 vs. 5.0, p-value = 0.019), and avoiding social activity (4.0 vs. 5.0, p-value = 0.010) in pre- and post-vaccination situations. Approximately 70–90% of the participants did not report changes in protective behaviours after vaccination. Overall, 17.4%, 13.9%, and 12.7% of participants showed improvements in avoiding social activity, physical distancing, and handwashing respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that improvements in protective behaviours were significantly associated with the age group (between 18 and 24 years), non-healthcare worker status, and those who lived in urban areas. No significant evidence of vaccine regimens was found relative to improved protective behaviours.

Conclusion

This evidence revealed that Thai people maintain their protective behaviours after vaccination but rather improved them. Moreover, demographic data were significantly associated with improved protective behaviours, but various vaccine regimens were not. These findings might be useful for implementing policies to maintain personal protective behaviours after vaccination against COVID-19.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-14494-x.

Sleep During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We reviewed current evidence on the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on sleep of different populations.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several studies demonstrated that sleep deprivation may cause immune system dysregulation, which deteriorates the course of COVID-19. The increased prevalence of sleep disorders among COVID-19 patients has been associated with more severe disease and worse clinical outcomes. Healthcare workers who were subjected to atypical workload and more nightshifts developed sleep disorders which associated with work-related errors and COVID-19 infection susceptibility. In general population, circadian misalignment and excessive stressors impaired sleep quality. Sleep dysfunction has been recorded due to the pandemic. It is essential to implement interventions in order to alleviate pandemic-related sleep disorders. Telemedicine, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sleep hygiene practices appear to be helpful. Psychotropic medication should be cautiously administered, while other pharmacological agents, such as melatonin, have shown promising results.

Anxiety in the adult population from the onset to termination of social distancing protocols during the COVID-19: a 20-month longitudinal study

The social distancing protocols (SDPs) implemented as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic may seriously influence peoples' mental health. We used a sample of 4361 Norwegian adults recruited online and stratified to be nationally representative to investigate the evolution of anxiety following each modification in national SDPs across a 20-month period from the onset of the pandemic to the reopening of society and discontinuation of SDPs. The mean anxiety level fluctuated throughout the observation period and these fluctuations were related to the stringency of the modified SDPs. Those with a high initial level almost in unison showed a substantial and lasting decrease of anxiety after the first lifting of SDPs. A sub-group of 9% had developed a persistent anxiety state during the first 3 months. Younger age, pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis, and use of unverified information platforms proved to predict marked higher anxiety in the long run. In conclusion, individuals with a high level of anxiety at the outbreak of the pandemic improved when the social distancing protocols were lifted. By contrast, a sizeable subgroup developed lasting clinical levels of anxiety during the first 3 months of the pandemic and is vulnerable to prolonged anxiety beyond the pandemic period.

Changes in health behaviors and conditions during COVID-19 pandemic strict campus lockdown among Chinese university students

Objective

To explore how a stringent campus lockdown affects the physical activity (PA), sleep and mental health of Chinese university students living in student dormitories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Data on PA, sleep and mental health were collected between 24 March and 4 April 2022 from 2084 university students (mean age = 22.4 years, 61.1% male students) via an online questionnaire distributed by the students’ advisers of each dormitory. The Chinese short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-C), Athens Insomnia Scale (CAIS) and General Health Questionnaire 12-item (GHQ-12) were applied. The Mann–Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to evaluate the PA profile differences between genders, before and during the lockdown period and between students’ living environments. Chi-squared (χ2) or Fisher’s exact test was used to assess changes in health behaviors by gender and students’ living environment compared to before the lockdown. A mediation model was used to examine whether sleep disorder mediated the relationship between PA and mental health in different students’ living environments.

Results

Participants reported a significant decrease in weekly total PA levels (63.9%). Mean daily sedentary time increased by 21.4% and daily lying time increased by 10.7% compared to before lockdown. Among the participants, 21.2% had experienced insomnia, and 39.0% reported having high mental distress. Female students reported 10% higher rates of sleep disorders than male students (p < 0.001), and also experienced a higher incidence of mental disorders (p < 0.001). Students living with three roommates had a larger decrease in frequencies and durations of participation in light PA than other students (p < 0.001). PA was negatively associated with sleep and mental health, and sleep disorder was a mediating factor between PA and mental health in the students living with two and three roommates.

Conclusion

This study showed that strict lockdowns within university dormitories during the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on the health of university students by changing their health behaviors, physical activity and sleep. Our findings indicate a need for strategies to promote an active lifestyle for students in space-limited dormitories in order to maintain health during a prolonged lockdown.

Ramadan intermittent fasting induced poorer training practices during the COVID-19 lockdown: A global cross-sectional study with 5529 athletes from 110 countries

Ramadan intermittent fasting during the COVID-19 lockdown (RIFL) may present unique demands. We investigated training practices (i.e., training load and training times) of athletes, using pre-defined survey criteria/questions, during the 'first' COVID-19 lockdown, comparing RIFL to lockdown-alone (LD) in Muslim athletes. Specifically, a within-subject, survey-based study saw athletes (n = 5,529; from 110 countries/territories) training practices (comparing RIFL to LD) explored by comparative variables of: sex; age; continent; athlete classification (e.g., world-class); sport classification (e.g., endurance); athlete status (e.g., professional); and level of training knowledge and beliefs/attitudes (ranked as: good/moderate/poor). During RIFL (compared to LD), athlete perceptions (ranges presented given variety of comparative variables) of their training load decreased (46-62%), were maintained (31-48%) or increased (2-13%). Decreases (≥ 5%, p < 0.05) affected more athletes aged 30-39 years than those 18-29 years (60 vs 55%); more national than international athletes (59 vs 51%); more team sports than precision sports (59 vs 46%); more North American than European athletes (62 vs 53%); more semi-professional than professional athletes (60 vs 54%); more athletes who rated their beliefs/attitudes 'good' compared to 'poor' and 'moderate' (61 vs 54 and 53%, respectively); and more athletes with 'moderate' than 'poor' knowledge (58 vs 53%). During RIFL, athletes had different strategies for training times, with 13-29% training twice a day (i.e., afternoon and night), 12-26% at night only, and 18-36% in the afternoon only, with ranges depending on the comparative variables. Training loads and activities were altered negatively during RIFL compared to LD. It would be prudent for decision-makers responsible for RIFL athletes to develop programs to support athletes during such challenges.

A bibliometric analysis of COVID-19 and physical activity

BACKGROUND

Due to the huge impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on a global scale, the level of physical activity during confinement has become a widespread concern. This study summarizes the development of performance and research trends in COVID-19 and physical activity over the last 3 years.

METHODS

Research publications on COVID-19 and physical activity in the past 3 years were downloaded from the Web of Science database. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to analyze the authors, published outputs, journals, cited authors, countries and institutions, co-cited journals, cited references, and keywords. Statistical and centrality analyses were used to identify the active authors, core journals, basic references, hot topics, and cutting-edge fields.

RESULTS

A total of 1331 papers was retrieved. SMITH L was a prolific author in the field of exercise intervention in COVID-19 with 11 publications. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health was the most productive journal (179 publications) and the most cited journal (1324). The most productive countries and institutions in this field were the USA (322 publications) and Harvard Medical School (21 publications). The four hot keywords in COVID-19 and physical activity research were physical activity, exercise, health, and mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides researchers with directions to intervene in changing levels of physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and valuable information for researchers in the field of sports medicine to identify potential collaborators, collaborating institutions, hot issues, and research frontiers.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on physical activity amongst older adults: evidence from longitudinal data in the UK

Background

A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of adverse health outcomes and frailty,particularly for older adults. To reduce transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic, people were instructed to stay at home, group sports were suspended, and gyms were closed, thereby limiting opportunities for physical activity. Whilst evidence suggests that physical activity levels reduced during the pandemic, it is unclear whether the proportion of older adults realising the recommended minimum level of physical activity changed throughout the various stages of lockdown.

Methods

We used a large sample of 3,660 older adults (aged ≥ 65) who took part in the UK Household Longitudinal Study’s annual and COVID-19 studies. We examined changes in the proportion of older adults who were realising the UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity recommendations for health maintenance at several time points before and after COVID-19 lockdowns were imposed. We stratified these trends by the presence of health conditions, age, neighbourhood deprivation, and pre-pandemic activity levels.

Results

There was a marked decline in older adults’ physical activity levels during the third national lockdown in January 2021. The proportion realising the Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity recommendations decreased from 43% in September 2020 to 33% in January 2021. This decrease in physical activity occurred regardless of health condition, age, neighbourhood deprivation, or pre-pandemic activity levels. Those doing the least activity pre-lockdown increased their activity during lockdowns and those doing the most decreased their activity levels.

Conclusions

Reductions in older adults’ physical activity levels during COVID-19 lockdowns have put them at risk of becoming deconditioned and developing adverse health outcomes. Resources should be allocated to promote the uptake of physical activity in older adults to reverse the effects of deconditioning.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-14156-y.

Social connectedness, emotional regulation, and health behaviors as correlates of distress during lockdown for COVID‐19: A diary study

Mass lockdowns are a powerful infection‐reduction strategy but are a significant stressor. This study aimed to explore whether various factors known to predict distress in normal contexts (e.g. social connectedness, emotional‐regulation strategies, and health‐related behaviors) are associated with daily distress under lockdown conditions. A time‐based diary study evaluated how perceived social connectedness, health‐promoting, and risk behaviors predicted within‐person and between‐person psychological distress. One hundred and nine adults completed surveys on these variables daily for 15 days while under stringent COVID‐19 lockdown in Colombia. Emotional suppression and reappraisal were measured at the start of the study to explore whether they predicted distress. Distress was lower on the days that people experienced greater social connectedness (within‐person analyses) but was not significantly predicted by between‐participant differences in emotional regulation. Health‐promoting behaviors such as exercising and meaningful activity were associated with lower distress, while watching COVID‐19 news and eating high‐calorie food were associated with higher distress. Looking at individual dynamics provides meaningful insights on daily behaviors associated with distress that might improve people's wellbeing during lockdown, such as social connectedness, meaningful activity, nutrition, exercise, and minimizing news exposure. Future research with alternative designs will enable causal conclusions to be drawn.

Effects of multidimensional life management on healthy behavior in polycystic ovary syndrome patients: A randomized controlled trial

Objective

To confirm the effects of a transtheoretical model (TTM) based on multidimensional life management on healthy behavior in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods

In total, eighty eligible patients were recruited from March 2021 to June 2021 and randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 40) groups. Outcome measures include health-promoting behavior, self-efficacy, anthropometrics, and the number of unplanned outpatient admissions. Data were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. The chi-square test, rank-sum test, t-test, and repeated measurement analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data.

Results

In total, sixty-six participants completed the study: 35 participants in the intervention group and 31 participants in the control group. After 6 months of intervention, the healthy behavior level of patients with PCOS increased from moderate [health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP)-II score of 105.37 ± 12.57] to good (156.94 ± 19.36) in the intervention group; and there was no change observed in the control group. In addition, the total self-efficacy score (p < 0.001), PCOS-related unplanned outpatient admissions (p = 0.008), waist circumference (WC) (p = 0.016), and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.011) were found to have a significant difference in the intervention group at 6 months. Meanwhile, repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significantly greater improvement in health-promoting behavior and self-efficacy over time in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The transtheoretical model based on multidimensional life management positively affected healthy behavior, self-efficacy, the number of unplanned outpatient admissions, and anthropometrics in patients with PCOS.

Clinical Trial Registration

www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2000034572.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical exercise among participants receiving the Promoting Activity, Independence and Stability in Early Dementia (PrAISED) intervention: a repeated measure study

BACKGROUND

The potential decrease in daily physical activity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns may have a negative impact on people living with dementia. Given the limited literature around the effects of home confinement in people living with dementia, this study investigated changes in physical exercise levels of participants in the intervention arm of the Promoting Activity, Independence and Stability in Early Dementia (PrAISED) Randomised Controlled Trial during the first COVID-19 national lockdown. It hypothesised that participants would maintain physical exercise levels.

METHODS

A repeated measure (three time points) study involving 30 participants (mean age = 78.0 years, 15 male and 15 female, 22 (73.0%) living with their primary caregiver), from four regions in England receiving the PrAISED intervention. PrAISED is an individually tailored intervention of physical exercises and functional activities. Trained therapists deliver therapy sessions over a period of 52 weeks. Study participants received therapy sessions via phone or video calling during the COVID-19 lockdown. This study investigated self-reported minutes of physical exercise recorded on study calendars for the months of February (i.e., baseline - pre-lockdown), May (i.e., T1 - during lockdown), and August (i.e., T2-post-lockdown) 2020.

RESULTS

Participants reported a statistically significant increase in activity levels between February and May (Wilcoxon Z = -2.013, p = 0.044) and a statistically significant decrease between May and August (Wilcoxon Z = -2.726, p = 0.004). No significant difference was found in the physical activity levels from pre- to post-lockdown (Wilcoxon Z = 0.485, p = 0.620).

CONCLUSION

Despite concerns that the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic might lead to reductions in physical exercise, participants in receipt of the PrAISED intervention increased their amount of physical exercise during lockdown. Our findings support the potential of remote support for people living with dementia to help them maintain physical exercise levels in circumstances where face-to-face service provision is not possible.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The PrAISED trial and process evaluation have received ethical approval number 18/YH/0059 from the Bradford/Leeds Ethics Committee. The Clinical Trial Identifier for PrAISED is: ISRCTN15320670 ( https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15320670 ). Registration was made on 04/09/2018.

Physical Activity, Life Satisfaction, Stress Perception and Coping Strategies of University Students in Belarus during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 restrictions in Belarus turned out to be less stringent than those of its neighboring countries. Objective: We aimed to evaluate physical activity, life satisfaction, perception of stress, choice of coping strategies and their correlations among Belarusian students. An anonymous Internet survey was conducted among 1769 students studying at the faculties of physical culture (415), pedagogical (737), and medical (617) universities. International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ) and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), and Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (mini-COPE) questionnaires were used. The respondents declared sufficient and high levels of physical activity. The level of physical activity was correlated with life satisfaction (typically for student-athletes). The least satisfaction with life and highest level of perceived stress were among future doctors. The minimum indicator of stress was noted in athletes. The most common coping strategy was active coping. Strategies of problem avoidance and seeking support from outside were not used by student-athletes. These strategies were used by pedagogical and medical students. Student-athletes have the most favorable opportunities, followed by representatives of pedagogical and medical students. The proposed classification of the levels of behavior (optimal, acceptable, satisfactory and risky) makes it possible to adjust lifestyles.

Can Physical Exercise Help Deal With the COVID-19 Stressors? Comparing Somatic and Psychological Responses

This research aims to explore whether physical exercise can buffer the impact of the COVID-19 stressors. Based on the cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis, we proposed a moderated mediation model relating the COVID-19 stressors to sleep disorder via somatic and worry complaints, depending on the amount of physical exercise. A sample of working adults in Beijing (N = 207) filled surveys in two waves during the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural regression analysis showed that physical exercise moderates the impact of the COVID-19 stressors on sleep disorder via somatic complaints (index = -0.11, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.01]), rather than psychological worry complaints (index = -0.01, 95% CI [-0.07, 0.04]). Specifically, the COVID-19 stressors increase somatic complaints for people with a low amount of physical exercise (b = 0.17, p = 0.01]), while the COVID-19 stressors are not significantly related to somatic complaints for people with a high amount of physical exercise (b = -0.06, p = 0.33). This research extends the cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis and provides evidence on an individual intervention of physical exercise to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.