Different types of physical activity are positively associated with indicators of mental health and psychological wellbeing in rheumatoid arthritis during COVID-19.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate associations between walking and mental health and wellbeing in people with rheumatoid arthritis during COVID-19 lockdown, and examine the moderation effects of self-isolating.
Results Summary
Walking was negatively associated with physical fatigue and depressive symptoms and positively associated with vitality. The study also found that walking was related to lower physical fatigue in people who were self-isolating.
Population
345 rheumatoid arthritis patients during the United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Light PA (LPA) | decrease | mental fatigue | RA patients | β = - .11 | was significantly negatively associated with | #1 |
Light PA (LPA) | decrease | depressive symptoms | RA patients | β = - .14 | was significantly negatively associated with | #2 |
Light PA (LPA) | increase | vitality | RA patients | β = .13 | positively associated with | #3 |
Walking | decrease | physical fatigue | RA patients | β = - .11 | negatively related to | #4 |
Walking | decrease | depressive symptoms | RA patients | β = - .12 | negatively related to | #5 |
Walking | increase | vitality | RA patients | β = .15 | positively related with | #6 |
Exercise | decrease | physical fatigue | RA patients | β = - .19 | negatively associated with | #7 |
Exercise | decrease | general fatigue | RA patients | β = - .12 | negatively associated with | #8 |
Exercise | decrease | depressive symptoms | RA patients | β = - .09 | negatively associated with | #9 |
Sedentary time (ST) | increase | physical fatigue | RA patients | β = .19 | positively associated with | #10 |
Light PA (LPA) | decrease | mental fatigue | people not self-isolating | - | related to lower | #11 |
Light PA (LPA) | increase | vitality | people not self-isolating | - | related to better | #12 |
Walking | decrease | physical fatigue | people self-isolating | - | related to lower | #13 |
Nationwide lockdowns during SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) can compromise mental health and psychological wellbeing and limit opportunities for physical activity (PA), particularly in clinical populations, such as people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who are considered at risk for COVID-19 complications. This study aimed to investigate associations between PA and sedentary time (ST) with indicators of mental health and wellbeing in RA during COVID-19 lockdown, and examine the moderation effects of self-isolating. 345 RA patients completed an online questionnaire measuring PA (NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study Questionnaire), ST (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form), pain (McGill Pain Questionnaire and Visual Analogue Scale), fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory), depressive and anxious symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and vitality (Subjective Vitality Scale) during the United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown. Associations between PA and ST with mental health and wellbeing were examined using hierarchical multiple linear regressions. Light PA (LPA) was significantly negatively associated with mental fatigue (β = - .11), depressive symptoms (β = - .14), and positively with vitality (β = .13). Walking was negatively related to physical fatigue (β = - .11) and depressive symptoms (β = - .12) and positively with vitality (β = .15). Exercise was negatively associated with physical (β = - .19) and general (β = - .12) fatigue and depressive symptoms (β = - .09). ST was positively associated with physical fatigue (β = .19). Moderation analyses showed that LPA was related to lower mental fatigue and better vitality in people not self-isolating, and walking with lower physical fatigue in people self-isolating. These findings show the importance of encouraging PA for people with RA during a lockdown period for mental health and wellbeing.