General anxiety and depression are associated with the physical activity and social interaction levels: Study in Argentinean university students during the COVID-19 outbreak

  1. Alejo Barbuzza
  2. Pedro Benedetti
  3. Celina Goyeneche
  4. Victoria Reppucci
  5. Franco Moscato
  6. Daniela Ramirez Butavand
  7. Cynthia Katche
  8. Jorge Horacio Medina
  9. Diego Moncada
  10. Haydee Viola
  11. Fabricio Ballarini

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Abstract

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic impacted people’s mental health. We explored the levels of depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and their relation with physical activity and social interaction during the pandemic.   Methods We surveyed two different groups of university students to measure depression , generalized anxiety, physical activity and social interaction in two different moments of the pandemic. The survey was conducted in October/November 2020, after a peak of contagions. Some of the participants were surveyed again in January 2021 for longitudinal analysis.   Results Both mental health parameters were positively correlated for men and women.. Moreover, low levels of depression and anxiety were associated with performing physical activity for more than two days a week and to longer periods of social interaction. Finally, the second survey revealed a decrease in mental health symptoms.   Conclusions Performing regular physical activity and avoiding long periods of social isolation gave benefits to mental health.   

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  1. Version published to 10.1344/joned.v4i1.42396
  2. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2022.01.07.22268803: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    EthicsConsent: Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Students Department of the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires, with the consent of The University authorities who felt interested in the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the students, in order to take actions directed to attenuate this impact.
    Sex as a biological variableData was collected first in October/November 2020 (from 22nd October 2020 to 7th November 2020; Internal Group, 128 students, 51% women; external group 132 students 53% women) and it was repeated in January 2021 for both groups (from 6th January 2021 to 14th January 2021; Internal Group, 27 students, 62% women; External Group, 47 students, 61% women).
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    Statistical analysis: All data was analyzed using GraphPad Prism® 8.0.1 software.
    GraphPad Prism®
    suggested: (GraphPad Prism, RRID:SCR_002798)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We found bar graphs of continuous data. We recommend replacing bar graphs with more informative graphics, as many different datasets can lead to the same bar graph. The actual data may suggest different conclusions from the summary statistics. For more information, please see Weissgerber et al (2015).

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    Results from scite Reference Check: We found no unreliable references.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  3. Version published to 10.1101/2022.01.07.22268803v1 on medRxiv