Impacts of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on leisure and transportation physical activity among healthcare workers

• Published in: Preventive medicine reports Vol. 38; p. 102587
• Main Authors: Rachel Bezerra Gurgel, Aline, Augusto Coelho Guimarães, Jean, Chakur Brum, Patricia, Carlos Pedroso de Lima, Antonio, Giavina-Bianchi, Pedro, Henrique Mesquita Peres, Carlos, Cristina Peres Braido Francisco, Maria, Garcia Neves dos Santos, Lanuse, de Cassia Cezar Santos, Rita, Eliana Beseggio Santos, Roseli, Corá, Aline, José da Silva Duarte, Alberto, dos Santos Lazari, Carolina, Jose Pereira, Antonio, Cerdeira Sabino, Ester, Corchs, Felipe, Cotrim Segurado, Aluísio, Figueiredo Costa, Silvia, Levin, Anna S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.02.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: COVID-19 pandemic; Healthcare workers; Physical activity; Regular article; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; Healthcare workers; Physical activity
• ISSN: 2211-3355; 2211-3355
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102587

The COVID-19 pandemic may lead to reduced physical activity (PA) in health care workers (HCWs). To evaluate leisure and transport-related PA in HCW of a COVID-19-dedicated hospital during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 1,527 HCWs. Socioeconomic aspects, occupational characteristics, and engagement in leisure and transport-related PA were investigated through an online survey administered in August of 2020. More than 80 % HCWs performed < 150 min/week of leisure-related PA, and 85 % performed ≤ 30 min/day transport-related PA. Being male was associated with more PA (OR: 1.93; 95 % CI:1.40–2.66) and transport-related PA; working in nursing, physical therapy, and cleaning/housekeeping services was associated with low PA (OR: 0.70; 95 % CI:0.51–0.95). Physicians and administrative staff were less active in transport-related PA. HCWs working in a COVID-19 hospital had low levels of PA in the domains of leisure and transportation.