Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic
<p><strong>Context:</strong> Physical activity has been shown to have physiological and psychological benefits in adults worldwide. Those in the healthcare industry, including long-term care employees, face unique occupational stressors that could be barriers to initiating and main...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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LSE Press
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Long-Term Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/articles/140 |
| _version_ | 1797961716810645504 |
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| author | Aaron J. Aslakson Bridget F. Melton Helen W. Bland Duke D. Biber |
| author_facet | Aaron J. Aslakson Bridget F. Melton Helen W. Bland Duke D. Biber |
| author_sort | Aaron J. Aslakson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p><strong>Context:</strong> Physical activity has been shown to have physiological and psychological benefits in adults worldwide. Those in the healthcare industry, including long-term care employees, face unique occupational stressors that could be barriers to initiating and maintaining a physically active lifestyle.</p><p><strong>Objectives:</strong> 1) to describe the physical activity level of a group of long-term care employees; and 2) examined demographic and self-efficacy influences on physical activity level.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> The cross-sectional study included an online questionnaire with demographics, the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), and the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, in a convenience sample of 218 participants.</p><p><strong>Findings:</strong> Results found 71.5% of the sample were classified as active, the percentage of participants who indicated they were highly active in their youth compared to adulthood decreased from 40.3% to 16.0%, and 37.3% of the sample decreased their physical activity level during COVID-19. Additionally, the GLTEQ score was significantly higher for those with high exercise self-efficacy (<em>M</em> = 65.97, <em>SD</em> = 30.78) compared to those with moderate exercise self-efficacy (<em>M</em> = 37.14, <em>SD</em> = 27.07, <em>p</em> = .000) and low exercise self-efficacy (<em>M</em> = 16.00, <em>SD</em> = 15.11, <em>p</em> = .000).</p><p><strong>Implications:</strong> Although the majority of the long-term care employees were considered active even during the COVID-19 pandemic, strategies to promote physical activity in the occupation setting are needed. Additional research is warranted to better understand if the nature of healthcare and occupational physical activity may have impacted this value.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:03:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ee71931cd84452081b9fea04aee632a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2516-9122 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:03:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | LSE Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Long-Term Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ee71931cd84452081b9fea04aee632a2023-01-04T15:00:30ZengLSE PressJournal of Long-Term Care2516-91222022-11-010202210.31389/jltc.140102Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 PandemicAaron J. Aslakson0Bridget F. Melton1Helen W. Bland2Duke D. Biber3Crown CollegeGeorgia Southern UniversityGeorgia Southern UniversityKennesaw State University<p><strong>Context:</strong> Physical activity has been shown to have physiological and psychological benefits in adults worldwide. Those in the healthcare industry, including long-term care employees, face unique occupational stressors that could be barriers to initiating and maintaining a physically active lifestyle.</p><p><strong>Objectives:</strong> 1) to describe the physical activity level of a group of long-term care employees; and 2) examined demographic and self-efficacy influences on physical activity level.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> The cross-sectional study included an online questionnaire with demographics, the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), and the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, in a convenience sample of 218 participants.</p><p><strong>Findings:</strong> Results found 71.5% of the sample were classified as active, the percentage of participants who indicated they were highly active in their youth compared to adulthood decreased from 40.3% to 16.0%, and 37.3% of the sample decreased their physical activity level during COVID-19. Additionally, the GLTEQ score was significantly higher for those with high exercise self-efficacy (<em>M</em> = 65.97, <em>SD</em> = 30.78) compared to those with moderate exercise self-efficacy (<em>M</em> = 37.14, <em>SD</em> = 27.07, <em>p</em> = .000) and low exercise self-efficacy (<em>M</em> = 16.00, <em>SD</em> = 15.11, <em>p</em> = .000).</p><p><strong>Implications:</strong> Although the majority of the long-term care employees were considered active even during the COVID-19 pandemic, strategies to promote physical activity in the occupation setting are needed. Additional research is warranted to better understand if the nature of healthcare and occupational physical activity may have impacted this value.</p>https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/articles/140physical activityexerciselong-term careexercise selfefficacy |
| spellingShingle | Aaron J. Aslakson Bridget F. Melton Helen W. Bland Duke D. Biber Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic Journal of Long-Term Care physical activity exercise long-term care exercise selfefficacy |
| title | Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Physical Activity Levels among American Long-Term Care Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | physical activity levels among american long term care employees during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | physical activity exercise long-term care exercise selfefficacy |
| url | https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/articles/140 |
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