Impact of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychological Status: The Role of Physical Activity

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological status among Saudi adults, and whether physical activity modifies this association. The participants were 518 adults aged ≥18 years (67.4% men). Using an online survey, data regarding demographic information, the impact of COVID-19 (assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5), HRQoL (Short Form-8), psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale), and physical activity behavior (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form) were collected. The results demonstrate that adults reporting moderate or high levels of impact of COVID-19 had a lower HRQoL and higher psychological distress than adults reporting a low impact. HRQoL was higher for adults reporting any level impact (low, moderate, or high) of COVID-19 when they participated in recommended levels of physical activity (≥600 metabolic equivalent (MET)-min/week of total physical activity). Psychological distress was lower for adults reporting a high level of impact when they participated in recommended physical activity. Moderate or high levels of impact of COVID-19 were associated with a significantly lower HRQoL and higher psychological distress than the low impact of COVID-19. However, these associations were moderated by the recommended levels of physical activity.

Keywords: COVID-19; active; coronavirus; health; impact; pandemic; psychological stress.

Figure 1

Predicted marginal mean HRQoL for COVID-19 impact among adults participating in physical activity ((■ Inactive: reporting <600 MET-min/week), (▲ sufficiently active: reporting ≥600 MET-min/week), and (● very active: reporting ≥3000 MET-min/week)). The model was adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, region of residence, social status, education, employment, income, smoking status, and chronic diseases. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HRQoL, health-related quality of life; PCL-5, posttraumatic stress disorder checklist; SF-8, short form-8 item.

Figure 2

Predicted marginal mean psychological distress for COVID-19 impact among adults participating in physical activity ((■ Inactive: reporting <600 MET-min/week), (▲ sufficiently active: reporting ≥600 MET-min/week), and (● very active: reporting ≥3000 MET-min/week)). The model was adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, region of residence, social status, education, employment, income, smoking status, and chronic diseases. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; DASS-9, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; PCL-5, posttraumatic stress disorder checklist.