Physical activity and depressive symptoms during the fifth wave of COVID-19 pandemic Implication for public policy and administrators

2024 School of Allied Health Sciences Medicine

Perpetua Chinyere Ofili, PhDa, Moses Onyemaechi Ede, PhDb, Ngozi Joannes Anyaegbunam, PhDc, Kingsley Okechukwu Oforka, MSca, Innocent Ebere Okereke, PhDc, Joshua Emeka Umeifekwem, PhDa, Chukwuebuka Nnagozie Bosa, MSca, Saint Oliver Rotachukwu Ngwoke, PhDa, Uzochukwu Okoroafor, PhDd, Melitus Amadi Oyibo, MScd, Emmanuel Obinna Ogueri, PhDd, Akhere Ibhafido, PhDd, Oliver Igwebuike Abbah, PhDa, Jude Chikezie Nwakamma, PhDd, Stella C. Ezeufodiama, PhDd, Emmanuel Chijioke Okechukwu, MScd, Rita Okechukwu Omeye, MSca, Nnochiri Nwaiwu, MScd, Keyna Chinyere Anozie, MScd, Olisa Emmanuel Ikediashi, MScd, Andrew Nnabuchi Ogbochie, PhDe,*, Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu, PhDf , Judith Chikamma Okoroafor, MScg, Edward Odogbu Odo, PhDh

Depression is a public mental health problem that can progress to suicidal ideation, literature suggests regular physical activity mayameliorate it. The study assessed the link between physical activity and depression symptoms during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Academic Staff Union (ASU) strike among undergraduates. Four hundred and eighteen undergraduateswere recruited and participated in the study. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form(IPAQ-SF) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to measure depression severity. The result on PA showed that aboutone-third of the participants were inactive, above half were moderately active, while a few achieved high PA levels. Above onefifthof the participants experienced minimal or no depression while a good percent had mild, moderate, moderately severe,and severe depression. Non-parametric tests between PA total score and depression total score with demographic variableswere not significant. Spearman’s correlation showed a strong negative relationship between PHQ-9 scores and IPAQ-SF scores.This suggests that a high PA level is associated with lower depression symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic and the ASU strikeexperiences resulted in increased depression among undergraduates. The university administration needs to formulate an urgentpolicy to promote PA among undergraduates and provide treatment for the affected students.Abbreviations: ASU = Academic Staff Union, COVID-19 = corona virus disease known as 2019, IPAQ-SF = InternationalPhysical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Mod. = moderate, PA = physical activity, PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire-9.Keywords: ASU-strike, COVID-19, depression, physical activity, public administrators, public policy, undergraduates