Work Type

Poster

Date

Fall 11-5-2022

Faculty Advisor

Holly J. Roberts, PT, PhD, GCS, NCS

Language

English

Abstract

Background

Understanding the long-term impacts of COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders on physical activity can help clinicians prepare for consequences that may impact their patient populations.

Purpose

This study examined effects of the 2020 COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on physical activity levels in community-dwelling older adults including the number of hours they spent walking outside of the home and working/volunteering in the community.

Methods

Eighty-nine participants completed a monthly Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) for 10 months. One-way repeated measures ANOVAs with post hoc analyses were calculated to determine differences among PASE scores, PASE item 2 scores, and work/volunteer hours at baseline and for seven months following the implementation of COVID restrictions. Paired t-tests were calculated to determine differences in outcomes in the months prior to and after COVID restrictions.

Results

The mean baseline PASE score and PASE item 2 score were 131.96+56.49 and 23.39+21.10, respectively. Participants worked or volunteered 3.10+5.76 hours per week. There were no differences among monthly PASE scores (F=2.98, p=.018) except scores at baseline score and in August (107.26+60.19, p=.034). There were no differences in PASE item 2 scores or work/volunteer hours (F=1.03, p=.424; F=1.35, p=.246, respectively). No differences were found between pre- and post-restriction PASE scores, PASE item 2 scores, or work/volunteer hours (p=.732, .391, and .711, respectively).

Conclusion

Pre-COVID PASE scores did not differ from scores during seven months of COVID-19 restrictions. Participants maintained a similar amount of time walking in their communities during the pandemic. The number of work/volunteer hours did not change during the COVID-19 restrictions.

Publisher

University of Puget Sound

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