Physical activity and well-being of students of faculties medical and non-medical services during the Covid-19 pandemic

Sochacka Magdalena, Zdziarski Krzysztof. Physical activity and well-being of students of faculties medical and non-medical services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2022;12(5):63-80. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2022.12.05.004

https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/JEHS.2022.12.05.004

https://zenodo.org/record/6464820

The journal has had 40 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of December 21, 2021. No. 32343.

Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201159. Scientific disciplines assigned: Physical Culture Sciences (Field of Medical sciences and health sciences); Health Sciences (Field of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences).

Punkty Ministerialne z 2019 - aktualny rok 40 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 21 grudnia 2021 r. Lp. 32343. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201159.

Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe: Nauki o kulturze fizycznej (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu); Nauki o zdrowiu (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu).

© The Authors 2022;

This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.

Received: 01.04.2022. Revised: 16.04.2022. Accepted: 16.04.2022.

Physical activity and well-being of students of faculties
medical and non-medical services during the Covid-19 pandemic

Magdalena Sochacka, Student Research Group at the Subdepartment of Social Medicine
and Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University
in Szczecin, 70-204 Poland; magdalena_soch@wp.pl. ORCID: 0000-0003-4581-9194

Krzysztof Zdziarski, PhD, Subdepartment of Social Medicine and Public Health, Department
of Social Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; krzysztof.zdziarski@pum.edu.pl, ORCID: 0000-0001-5766-026X

Keywords: physical activity, well-being, Covid-19 pandemic, student

Abstract

Physical activity has a positive effect on the human body, well-being and mental health.
This is confirmed by the results of studies which show that regular physical exercise has
a beneficial effect not only on the cardiovascular, muscular and nervous systems, as well as on mental well-being.  The Covid-19 pandemic, which affected society as a whole, changed our lives.  Restrictions were introduced that limited physical activity and interpersonal contacts.
The pandemic has a social and economic scope, increasing the number of stressful situations that affect well-being. Aim of the research: The aim of the undertaken research was to check
the level of physical activity and well-being of medical and non-medical students during
the pandemic. Material and methods: The research used the method of diagnostic survey, with the use of the proprietary questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) as well as a 36-point Health Survey were used.  The research group consisted of students of medical and non-medical faculties.  Results: The research confirmed a decrease in physical activity and a change in well-being in students of both faculties.  In the studied group, 38.3%
of students declared that they undertake physical activity 2-3 times a week, and 36.7% once
a week.  The vast majority of students (80%) noticed a change in well-being during the pandemic. Half of the respondents (50%) undertake physical activity to improve their well-being, and over 60% of the students declared that physical activity helps them maintain their well-being during the pandemic.  Conclusions: The results of the conducted research indicate
a negative impact of the pandemic on the physical activity and well-being of the respondents.  There was a strong correlation between physical activity and the well-being of research participants.The greatest decrease in physical activity was observed in medical students (52.08%).  On the other hand, students of non-medical faculties (54.17%) showed a lower level of well-being, and higher medical students (45.83%).  It is advisable to take preventive measures through active physical activity in order to eliminate the negative effects of the pandemic.