Analysis of Physical Activity Readiness in Eastern Slovakia University Students Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background University students faced unique challenges due to campus closures and online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially affecting their physical and mental health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess physical activity (PA) readiness among university students during these disruptions. Material and methods During the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years, 1,135 students from the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice (UPJŠ) and Technical University in Košice (TUKE) completed the PAR-Q online. The PAR-Q included ten health questions and two about pre-COVID-19 PA and the impact of the pandemic. Chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests were used in R Studio to examine health issues and participant characteristics like gender and university affiliation. Logistic regression assessed pandemic-related PA changes. Results UPJŠ and TUKE students had significantly different health outcomes, including gender-specific variations. Female students at both universities reported higher dizziness rates (22.0% at UPJŠ and 23.2% at TUKE, p<0.001) than male students. Females reported more chest pain at TUKE (21.2%) compared to UPJŠ (12.9%, p<0.001). UPJŠ students were 4.33 times more likely than TUKE students to maintain or increase PA during the pandemic (p=0.005). Other health conditions did not predict pandemic PA. Conclusions The findings demonstrate that mostly university affiliation, out of all other variables, significantly influenced health outcomes and PA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Health Problems of Civilization
Authors: Richard Melichar, Dávid Kaško, Ján Junger
Institution: University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik
Language: English
Topic: Physical Activity and Health
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $34
OpenAlex ID: W4404866291