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

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic may lead to reduced physical activity (PA) in health care workers (HCWs). Objective: To evaluate leisure and transport-related PA in HCW of a COVID-19-dedicated hospital during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusions: HCWs working in a COVID-19 hospital had low levels of PA in the domains of leisure and transportation.

Keywords

• Physical activity
• COVID-19 pandemic
• SARS-CoV-2
• Healthcare workers