Perceptions of Physical Activity Changes Due to COVID-19 Restrictions Among Women in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Jacky J. Forsyth ◽  
Lorna Makay ◽  
Victoria Riley
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Home Life ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Active Lifestyles

The purpose of the current study was to explore, via interview, how and why women felt their physical activity levels and active lifestyles had been affected by COVID-19. Telephone interviews were conducted with 23 women, aged between 28 and 52 years from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds in the United Kingdom. Based on reflexive thematic analysis, the perceived reduction in exercise and the increase in sedentary behavior that many of these women experienced were felt to be a result of the physical restrictions imposed through gym and leisure-facility closure, the change in circumstance (both work and home life), the perceived risks associated with exercising during a pandemic, as well as a lack of peer support. In contrast, some women experienced increased opportunity and time to exercise, which they felt benefited their health. For any future pandemic-related restrictions, exercise practitioners should consider promoting exercise with others in a safe environment in order to ensure that women’s healthy exercise and lifestyle behaviors are maintained.

scholarly journals The Contribution of Leisure Center Usage to Physical Activity in the United Kingdom: Evidence From a Large Population-Based Cohort

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Coral L. Hanson ◽  
Paul Kelly ◽  
Lis Neubeck ◽  
Jordan Bell ◽  
Holly Gibb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Leisure Facilities

Background: Physical activity (PA) levels vary across specific population groups, contributing to health inequalities. Little is known about how local authority leisure centers contribute to population PA and whether this differs by age, sex, or socioeconomic group. Methods: The authors calculated weekly leisure center–based moderate/vigorous PA for 20,904 registered adult users of local authority leisure facilities in Northumberland, United Kingdom, between July 2018 and June 2019, using administrative data. The authors categorized activity levels (<30, 30–149, and ≥150 min/wk) and used ordinal regression to examine predictors for activity category achieved. Results: Registered users were mainly female (58.7%), younger (23.9% of users aged 18–29 y vs 10.1% of those aged 70+ y), and from the 2 most affluent socioeconomic quintiles (53.7%). Median weekly moderate/vigorous leisure center–based activity was 55 minutes per week (interquartile range: 30–99). Being female (odds ratio: 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.95–2.35), older (odds ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.16), and using a large facility (odds ratio: 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.42) were positive predictors of leisure center–based PA. Conclusion: Older adults and females were more likely to be active and achieve the recommended PA levels through usage of the centers. Widespread use of this novel measure of leisure center–based activity would improve the understanding of how local authority leisure centers can address physical inactivity and its associated inequalities.

scholarly journals The effects of social distancing and self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on adults diagnosed with asthma: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532110127
Author(s):  
Leanne Tyson ◽  
Wendy Hardeman ◽  
Gareth Stratton ◽  
Andrew M Wilson ◽  
Joanna Semlyen
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Window Of Opportunity ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Physical Activity Levels

This study aimed to explore how social distancing and self-isolation measures, aimed at protecting vulnerable groups from COVID-19, affected the wellbeing and physical activity levels among adults diagnosed with asthma. Twenty-seven participants took part across four online focus groups. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants reported becoming more health conscious due to being labelled as vulnerable. Their relationship with the severity of their asthma was altered and they reported making positive changes to increase their physical activity levels. Findings suggest there is a window of opportunity to engage with people diagnosed with asthma to promote beneficial lifestyle changes and self-management.

“Women Are Cancer, You Shouldn’t Be Working in Sport”: Sport Psychologists’ Lived Experiences of Sexism in Sport

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Aura Goldman ◽  
Misia Gervis
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Power Differentials ◽  
The Feminine ◽  
Gendered Power ◽  
The Impact

Though sexism has been recognized as problematic in sport, its impact on female sport psychologists in the United Kingdom has not yet been investigated. The purpose of this research was to explore the impact of sexism and its influence on practice. Four semistructured focus groups were conducted, comprising 11 sport psychologists who worked in the United Kingdom. Thematic analysis revealed four general themes: the environment, privileging masculinity, acts of sexism, and the feminine. Participants’ discourse suggests that female sport psychologists are impacted by sexism in their workplaces. Gendered power differentials, coupled with the low status of sport psychology within sport, exacerbated the challenges faced by female sport psychologists. This study contributes to making up for the dearth of research on the impact of sexism on sport psychologists. Suggestions are made with regard to implications for practice.

scholarly journals Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Are Major Predictors of Mental Wellbeing During COVID-19 Pandemic Confinement: A Study on Adult Arabs in Higher Educational Institutions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
hashem A. Kilani ◽  
Bataineh ◽  
Ali Al-Nawayseh ◽  
Khaled Atyat ◽  
Omar Obeid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Sampling Procedure ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Higher Institution

Abstract Background In previous times, infectious diseases affected the quality of human life during home confinement. This study investigated the influence of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on lifestyle, mental wellbeing, nutritional status, and sleeping pattern. Method: An online multicategory questionnaire was distributed to collect Demographical information and combined the following tools: Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), WHO-5 wellbeing score, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A snowball none-discriminate sampling procedure was followed to collect data from people attending or working at higher institution had covering the period between Mar/00/2020 and Apr/24/2020. A total of 1723 completed responses (917 Males 37.4 ± 13.4 yrs. old and (806 Females 32.2 ± 11.5 yrs. old) were collected. Results Female participants had significantly lower mental health scores as compared to males (53.9% vs 46.1%). on Mental wellbeing score was better among participants with medium and high Physical Activity Levels (p < 0.00). Additionally, mental wellbeing score was significantly improved by dietary quality and sleeping score (p < 0.001). However, physical activity was by far the major determinants of mental health score. Conclusion Factors such as PA, Diet, sleeping patterns were associated with mental wellbeing during COVID-19 confinement among Arab participants.

Patterns of Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Among Adolescents in the United Kingdom: Project STIL

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 521-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trish Gorely ◽  
Simon J. Marshall ◽  
Stuart J. H. Biddle ◽  
Noel Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
The United Kingdom

scholarly journals Striking a Balance: Physical Activity, Screen-Viewing and Homework during the Transition to Secondary School

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (17) ◽  
pp. 3174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia G. Emm-Collison ◽  
Sarah Lewis ◽  
Thomas Reid ◽  
Joe Matthews ◽  
Simon J. Sebire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
School Level ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Sharp Decline ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Screen Viewing ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Physical activity levels decline, and screen-viewing behaviours increase during childhood and adolescence. The transition to secondary school appears to coincide with a sharp decline in physical activity. Parents have the potential to influence their child’s behaviours, yet little is known about their expectations for their child’s physical activity and screen-viewing during this transition. This paper explores parents’ expectations for their children’s physical activity and screen-viewing as they transition from primary to secondary school, and their proposed strategies for managing these behaviours during this time. Forty-two parents of children aged 10–11 years participated in a semi-structured telephone interviews in July 2017 or March 2018. The interview data were analysed via inductive and deductive content analysis to explore parents’ perceptions of physical activity and screen-viewing during the transition, the reasons for their perceptions, and the strategies they intended to implement to help their child balance their behaviours. Most parents expected both physical activity and screen-viewing to increase during this transition. There were several individuals, social and school-level factors influencing these expectations. Overall, parents felt that helping their child balance their activity levels, screen-viewing and homework would be challenging.

scholarly journals Physical Activity during the School Holidays: Parent Perceptions and Practical Considerations

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Emm-Collison ◽  
Sarah Lewis ◽  
Thomas Reid ◽  
Joe Matthews ◽  
Simon Sebire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Children’s physical activity decreases during school holidays. Less structured days and reduced participation in organised activities may account for some of the decrease. Little is known about the factors that influence parents’ decision to enrol their child in organised activity such as holiday clubs. This paper sought to explore parents’ perceptions of their child’s physical activity during school holidays and the factors that influence holiday activity-based decision making. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 42 parents of children aged 10–11 years in July 2017 or March 2018. Data were analysed using a combination of inductive and deductive content analysis to explore parents’ perceptions of holiday-based physical activity and the factors associated with how they provide physical activity opportunities for their children. The data revealed that most parents consider their child’s physical activity levels when planning for the school holidays. However, work commitments in the holidays meant many parents had to rely on both informal and formal childcare. Grandparents were the primary source of informal childcare, despite a perception that children were not as physically active when with them. Holiday clubs were also a viable option, but the cost, location and age-appropriateness of provision inhibit parents signing older children up to these regularly.

scholarly journals Women’s perceptions of COVID-19 and their healthcare experiences: a qualitative thematic analysis of a national survey of pregnant women in the United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Babu Karavadra ◽  
Andrea Stockl ◽  
Edward Prosser-Snelling ◽  
Paul Simpson ◽  
Edward Morris
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
Healthcare Experiences ◽  
Women’S Perceptions ◽  
The Media ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Background The aim of this national survey was to explore pregnant women’s perceptions of COVID-19 and their healthcare experiences. Methods Through patient and public involvement, a questionnaire was developed and advertised via the BBC website, Twitter and other online media during May 2020. The findings were analysed by qualitative thematic analysis. Women who are currently pregnant, or who have delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic were invited to partake in a national online survey. Results One thousand four hundred fifty-one participants replied to the online questionnaire. Participants provided significant insight into the perceived barriers to seeking healthcare during this pandemic. These include ‘not wanting to bother anyone’, ‘lack of wider support from allied healthcare workers’ and the influence of the media. Other concerns included the use of virtual clinics antenatally and their acceptability to patients, the presence of birthing partners, and the way in which information is communicated about rapidly changing and evolving services. The influence of the media has also had a significant impact on the way women perceive hospital care in light of COVID-19 and for some, this has shaped whether they would seek help. Conclusions This is the first ever reported study in the United Kingdom to explore pregnant women’s perceptions of COVID-19 and their subsequent healthcare experiences. It has also provided insight into perceived barriers into seeking care as well as maternal concerns antenatally, intrapartum and postpartum.

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