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Prince SA, Biswas A, Betancourt MT, Toigo S, Roberts KC, Colley RC, Brule S, Chaput JP, Lang JJ. Telework and 24-hour movement behaviours among adults living in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prev Med 2024; 185:108053. [PMID: 38914269 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.108053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the association between work location and movement behaviours (physical activity [PA], screen time, sleep) and adherence to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (24-H Guidelines) among Canadian workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Using cross-sectional data from the 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 10,913 working adults 18-75 years), primary work location was categorized as: worked outside the home at a fixed location (fixed workplace), worked at home (telework), and worked outside the home at no fixed location (non-fixed workplace). Recreational, transportation and occupational/household PA, as well as leisure screen time and sleep duration were self-reported. Logistic regression assessed associations between work location and adherence to movement behaviour recommendations, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS Compared to a fixed workplace, those teleworking reported more recreational PA (21.1 vs 17.0 min/day, p < 0.0001) and sleep (7.2 vs 7.1 h/night, p = 0.026) and were more likely to meet sleep duration recommendations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08-1.51) and the 24-H Guidelines (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04-1.51). Compared to fixed workplaces, those at non-fixed workplaces reported more occupational PA (62.7 vs 32.8 min/day, p < 0.0001) and less leisure screen time (2.5 vs 2.7 h/day, p = 0.021), and were more likely to meet the PA recommendation (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.15-1.85) and the 24-H Guidelines (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.09-1.75). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that adherence to the 24-H Guidelines varies by work location, and work location should be considered when developing strategies to promote healthy movement behaviours. Future studies could explore hybrid work arrangements, and longitudinal study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Prince
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Aviroop Biswas
- Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marisol T Betancourt
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephanie Toigo
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen C Roberts
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rachel C Colley
- Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Jean-Philippe Chaput
- Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin J Lang
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
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Shandera WX. COVID-19 ethics: unique aspects and a review as of early 2024. Monash Bioeth Rev 2024:10.1007/s40592-024-00199-x. [PMID: 39003388 DOI: 10.1007/s40592-024-00199-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19 presents a variety of ethical challenges in a set of arenas, arenas not always considered in past pandemics. These challenges include issues related to autonomy, distributive ethics, and the establishment of policies of equity and justice. Methods are a literature review based on regular editing of an online textbook during the COVID-19 outbreak and a literature review using key ethical terms. Patients are confronted with new issues related to autonomy. Providers need to expand their concepts of ethical issues to include decisions based on proportionality and public health ethics. The public health sector needs to assess the beneficence of alternative modes of disease control. The research community needs to redefine the concept of informed consent in emergent conditions. All elements of the medical spectrum-physicians, scientists, and the community-at-large including the pharmaceutical industry-need to consider the multifaceted methods for preventing future pandemics. This will require giving particular emphasis to public health funding and ending the documented discrimination that exists in the provision of proven therapies. The developing world is especially at risk for most of the ethical issues, especially those related to equity and justice. The ethical issues associated with the COVID-19 outbreak are not unique but provide a diverse set of issues that apply to patients, providers, social groups, and investigators. The further study of such issues can help with preventing future outbreaks.
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Cho B, Pan Y, Chapman M, Spaulding A, Stallings-Smith S. Changes in Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adults After the COVID-19 Pandemic by State and Territorial Stay-at-Home Order Level and Sociodemographic Characteristics. Am J Health Promot 2024; 38:787-796. [PMID: 38345895 DOI: 10.1177/08901171241233399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine changes in obesity prevalence among US adults after the COVID-19 pandemic by level of stay-at-home order and sociodemographic characteristics. DESIGN Quasi-experimental study using repeated cross-sectional data. SETTING Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). SAMPLE Pooled data for US adults ages ≥26 years (n = 1,107,673) from BRFSS (2018-2021). MEASURES States/territories were classified into three levels of stay-at-home order: none, advisory/only for persons at risk, or mandatory for all. Individual-level sociodemographic characteristics were self-reported. ANALYSIS The difference-in-differences method was conducted with weighted multiple logistic regression analysis to examine obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) prevalence by stay-at-home order level and sociodemographic characteristics before/after the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2018-February 2020 vs March 2020-February 2022). RESULTS After adjusting for a secular trend and multiple covariates, adults in states/territories with mandatory stay-at-home orders experienced a larger increase in obesity prevalence (adjusted odds ratio: 1.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.11) than adults in states/territories with no stay-at-home order. Younger adults (vs ≥65 years) and individuals with CONCLUSION Increases in obesity prevalence were perpetuated 2 years after implementation of stay-at-home orders, indicating that longer-term health implications are co-occurring during the pandemic recovery period. Future research should focus on successful methods for staying active and healthy during social distancing and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beomyoung Cho
- Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Yining Pan
- Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - McKinley Chapman
- Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Aaron Spaulding
- Division of Health Care Delivery Research, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Sericea Stallings-Smith
- Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Chaudhary N, Jones M, Rice SPM, Zeigen L, Thosar SS. Transitioning to Working from Home Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Significantly Increased Sedentary Behavior and Decreased Physical Activity: A Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:851. [PMID: 39063428 PMCID: PMC11276674 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21070851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces transitioned to remote work, which altered lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis to understand if the transition to working from home due to the pandemic affected workers' physical activity and sedentary behavior worldwide. We reviewed articles published between November 2019 and May 2022. Of an initial 3485 articles, a total of 17 were included, 15 of 17 were included for their physical activity (PA) comparisons (n = 36,650), and 12 of 17 (n = 57,254) were included for their sedentary behavior (SB) comparisons (10 studies have data for both PA and SB). This work is registered through PROSPERO (CRD42022356000). Working from home resulted in a significant decrease in PA (Hedge's g = -0.29, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.18]) and an increase in SB (Hedge's g = +0.36, 95% CI [0.20, 0.52]). Working from home impaired preventative activity behaviors, and these results are relevant to worker health as the future of work evolves beyond the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Chaudhary
- Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (N.C.); (M.J.); (S.P.M.R.)
| | - Megan Jones
- Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (N.C.); (M.J.); (S.P.M.R.)
| | - Sean P. M. Rice
- Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (N.C.); (M.J.); (S.P.M.R.)
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University (OHSU-PSU), Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Laura Zeigen
- Oregon Health & Science University Library, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Saurabh Suhas Thosar
- Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (N.C.); (M.J.); (S.P.M.R.)
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University (OHSU-PSU), Portland, OR 97239, USA
- School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, OR 97239, USA
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Young SG. Hidden Costs of the COVID-19 Pandemic Response. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20085476. [PMID: 37107758 PMCID: PMC10138285 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
"First, do no harm" [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean G Young
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
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Scisco JL, Meyers E, Miceli A, Powell J. "It's Been a Game Changer": Examining Treadmill Desk Use When Working from Home. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SCIENCE 2023; 7:1-22. [PMID: 36741939 PMCID: PMC9883822 DOI: 10.1007/s41542-023-00144-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has established the physical and mental benefits of using active workstations like treadmill desks in the workplace, such as reducing sedentary behavior and improving mood. However, treadmill desk use when working at home has not been examined despite significant increases in working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to be the first to describe how treadmill desks are used when working from home and (2) to describe perceived benefits, motivators, and barriers for treadmill desk use when working from home. Twenty participants who worked from home and used a treadmill desk were interviewed between February 2022 and April 2022. Participants reported using their treadmill desks while completing a variety of work and non-work tasks and experienced physical, mental, social, and work-related perceived benefits. Motivators for use included desires to reduce prolonged sitting and be more active, wanting to be healthier and fitter, tracking and reaching goals like daily step counts, feeling good during use, and to overcome increased sedentary behavior due to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Barriers to use included the type of work being done, physical limitations, accessibility issues, social concerns, and mental barriers. Future research should investigate ways to increase treadmill desk use at home by capitalizing on motivating factors and reducing barriers to use. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41542-023-00144-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L. Scisco
- Department of Psychological Science, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., Willimantic, CT 06226 USA
| | - Emma Meyers
- Department of Psychological Science, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., Willimantic, CT 06226 USA
| | - Andrew Miceli
- Department of Psychological Science, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., Willimantic, CT 06226 USA
| | - Jordyn Powell
- Department of Psychological Science, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., Willimantic, CT 06226 USA
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Wilms P, Schröder J, Reer R, Scheit L. The Impact of "Home Office" Work on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191912344. [PMID: 36231651 PMCID: PMC9566552 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
In 2020, as part of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world enacted a wide variety of regulations and laws to contain the incidence of infection. One of these measures was the relocation of work to the home office. The objective of this review was to analyze the influence of the home office in correlation with regulations on sedentary and activity behavior. A search was conducted on various electronic databases from November 2019 to January 2022, using the search terms physical activity (PA), COVID-19, and working from home. The primary outcomes were changes in PA and sedentary behavior (SB). Secondary outcomes included pain, mood, and parenting stress. The risk of bias was assessed using the (NHLBI) Quality Assessment Tool. For the review, 21 articles met the inclusion criteria (total n = 1268). There was a significant increase in SB (+16%) and a decrease in PA (-17%), Light PA (-26%), and moderate to vigorous PA (-20%). There was also an increase in pain and parenting stress and a decrease in well-being. Due to our significant results, programs that promote movement should be created. Future studies should explore how an increase of PA and a reduction of SB in the home office could be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Wilms
- Department I–Internal Medicine, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Lesserstr. 180, 22049 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Schröder
- Department of Sports Medicine, Faculty for Psychology and Human Movement Science, Institute for Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Turmweg 2, 20148 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Reer
- Department of Sports Medicine, Faculty for Psychology and Human Movement Science, Institute for Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Turmweg 2, 20148 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Scheit
- Department I–Internal Medicine, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Lesserstr. 180, 22049 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
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