Factors Associated with Psychological Distress and Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In Morocco, as in many countries, COVID-19 spread nationwide causing a public health emergency. Strict quarantine measures implemented as a result of the pandemic have disrupted many aspects of people's lives, triggering psychological distress. A total of 256 participants were recruited through a convenience sample. Data were collected through snowball sampling, an assessment of distress symptoms using the Brief Symptoms Inventory, and an assessment of leisure-time physical activity using the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Significant changes in paranoid ideation (z =-2.45, P = .01) and interpersonal sensitivity (z =-2.01, P = .04) dimensions were noted between those who were and those who were not authorized to leave their homes during quarantine. Similarly, for physical activity, significant changes in depression (z =-2.15, P = .03), anxiety (z =-2.13, P = .03), interpersonal sensitivity (z =-1.95, P = .05), and somatization (z =-2.11, P = .03) were reported among the insufficiently active group compared with the more physically active group. From multiple regression analysis, variables correlated with general distress were type of quarantine, gender, age, education level, chronic disease, and smoking (R 2 = .80). With some variables, leisure-time physical activity domains appeared to be associated only with interpersonal sensitivity and somatization. Having to leave one's home during the outbreak was linked to distress, especially symptoms like suspiciousness, hostility, fearful thoughts of losing autonomy, and feelings of inadequacy, uneasiness, and discomfort during interpersonal interactions. Individuals who were moderately or sufficiently active physically reported less psychological distress.

Gender differences in health anxiety and musculoskeletal symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Furthermore, we also found that physical activity is weakly correlated with anxiety in females. Sfendla et al reported that people who are more physically active have a lower level of anxiety than people who are insufficiently active during the COVID-19 period [37]. Thus, the amount of physical activity can be accepted as one of the factors related to health anxiety during the pandemic.…”

Call for Action to Address Equity and Justice Divide During COVID-19

“…Prolonged public health or humanitarian crises can act as a catalyst to realign civilizational priorities with a focus on health, equity and justice. COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented surge in fear, dismay and disbelief (22,52,121,128). Pandemics have a disproportionate impact on the health and socioeconomic status of people from vulnerable backgrounds (Figure 1).…”

“…Increasing loneliness, economic downturn, and stress invoked by living through a crisis place the entire population at high risk of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse (120,121). Zhang et al's study on health and well-being of normal adults after 1 month of confinement in China showed worse mental and physical health distress and life satisfaction among adults who did not work in the outbreak (122).…”

Quality of life and depressive symptoms among Peruvian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…family caregivers) has increased, generating greater stress and depression(55,56). Students who left home during quarantine or had a family member with a chronic illness scored higher on depressive symptoms than those who did not have these characteristics, this finding could be due to the concern about catching and/or infecting at-risk family members during exposure to VOC-19 (57).…”