AUTHOR=Cody Robyn , Kreppke Jan-Niklas , Beck Johannes , Donath Lars , Eckert Anne , Imboden Christian , Hatzinger Martin , Holsboer-Trachsler Edith , Lang Undine E. , Ludyga Sebastian , Mans Sarah , Mikoteit Thorsten , Oswald Anja , Rogausch Anja , Schweinfurth Nina , Zahner Lukas , Faude Oliver , Gerber Markus 

TITLE=Psychosocial Health and Physical Activity in People With Major Depression in the Context of COVID-19

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.685117

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2021.685117

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Major depression is a psychiatric disease associated with physical inactivity, which in turn affects mental and physical health. A randomized controlled trial is being implemented to facilitate physical activity in people with major depression. In March 2020, Swiss state authorities temporarily legislated a lockdown to contain the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), which influenced health, behavior and research. The aim of this study was to find out whether data gathered before and during/after the lockdown among in-patients with major depression differ with regard to psychosocial health, physical activity and related attitudes and to establish whether baseline data have been affected by the lockdown.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> This is a cross-sectional analysis within a randomized controlled trial. Physically inactive, adult in-patients diagnosed with major depression were recruited from four Swiss psychiatric clinics between January 2019 and December 2020. Psychosocial health was measured with questionnaires pertaining to stress, sleep and health-related quality of life. Physical activity was measured with the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire. Explicit attitudes were measured with seven questionnaires pertaining to physical activity-related motivation and volition. Implicit attitudes toward physical activity were captured with a single target implicit association test.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The sample consisted of 165 participants (<italic>n</italic> = 119 before lockdown, <italic>n</italic> = 46 during/after lockdown). No statistically significant differences were found between in-patients with major depression assessed before and during/after the COVID-19 lockdown with regard to psychosocial health (stress, <italic>p</italic> = 0.51; sleep, <italic>p</italic> = 0.70; physical component of health-related quality of life, <italic>p</italic> = 0.55; mental component of health-related quality of life, <italic>p</italic> = 0.64), self-reported physical activity (<italic>p</italic> = 0.16) and explicit as well as implicit attitudes toward physical activity (<italic>p</italic> = 0.94). Hence, the COVID-19-induced lockdown seems not to have led to group differences.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Baseline data gathered in in-patients suffering from major depression who are physically inactive upon admission to in-patient treatment in Switzerland seem to be unaffected by the COVID-19-induced lockdown. To assess changes in said population regarding psychosocial health and physical activity patterns over time, longitudinal data are needed.</p>