The Effect of Mental State and Physical Activity Levels on Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

INTRODUCTION: The precautions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic altered people’s lifestyles. The present study aimed to evaluate the mental states and physical activity levels of individuals during the pandemic and to uncover the effects of these conditions on quality of life.
METHODS: The study was conducted with 175 people who applied to the Family Medicine outpatient clinics of a Training and Research Hospital after receiving ethics committee approval and agreeing to participate in the study. Participant Information Collection Form, Short Form-36 Quality of Life Scale (SF-36), Beck Depression Scale (BDS), Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short form) (IPAQ) were applied to the individuals via face-to-face survey method. The statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05.
RESULTS: A total of 48.6% of the 175 participants were female, 40.0% were married, and the mean age was 39.21±13.66. 44.6% of the individuals had chronic diseases, 42.9% were receiving regular medication, and 43.4% of the participants said that they had a COVID-19 infection. The average BAS and BDS scores of those who had COVID-19 were higher, and the SF-36 subscale scores were lower than those who did not (p<0.05). The BAS and BDS scores of those with chronic diseases who were receiving regular medication were higher (p<0.001). A negative relationship was detected between the BAS and BDS scores of the individuals and the SF-36 scores (p<0.05). A weak and negative relationship was detected between the BDS score and the "Total Physical Activity" score (p=0.003).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In the present study, the mental state and quality of life of individuals who had COVID-19 were affected negatively compared to those who did not. Individuals must be informed about lifestyle changes and healthy living behaviors appropriate for the changing conditions during the pandemic.