The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has enforced dramatic changes to daily living including economic and health impacts. Evidence for the impact of these changes on our physical and mental health and health behaviors is limited. We examined the associations between psychological distress and changes in selected health behaviors since the onset of COVID-19 in Australia. An online survey was distributed in April 2020 and included measures of depression, anxiety, stress, physical activity, sleep, alcohol intake and cigarette smoking. The survey was completed by 1491 adults (mean age 50.5 ± 14.9 years, 67% female). Negative change was reported for physical activity (48.9%), sleep (40.7%), alcohol (26.6%) and smoking (6.9%) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Significantly higher scores in one or more psychological distress states were found for females, and those not in a relationship, in the lowest income category, aged 18–45 years, or with a chronic illness. Negative changes in physical activity, sleep, smoking and alcohol intake were associated with higher depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. Health-promotion strategies directed at adopting or maintaining positive health-related behaviors should be utilized to address increases in psychological distress during the pandemic. Ongoing evaluation of the impact of lifestyle changes associated with the pandemic is needed.

Health and fitness applications (apps) have gained popularity in interventions to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviours but their efficacy is unclear. This systematic review examined the efficacy of interventions that use apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adults. Systematic literature searches were conducted in five databases to identify papers published between 2006 and 2016. Studies were included if they used a smartphone app in an intervention to improve diet, physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour for prevention. Interventions could be stand-alone interventions using an app only, or multi-component interventions including an app as one of several intervention components. Outcomes measured were changes in the health behaviours and related health outcomes (i.e., fitness, body weight, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, quality of life). Study inclusion and methodological quality were independently assessed by two reviewers. Twenty-seven studies were included, most were randomised controlled trials (n = 19; 70%). Twenty-three studies targeted adults (17 showed significant health improvements) and four studies targeted children (two demonstrated significant health improvements). Twenty-one studies targeted physical activity (14 showed significant health improvements), 13 studies targeted diet (seven showed significant health improvements) and five studies targeted sedentary behaviour (two showed significant health improvements). More studies (n = 12; 63%) of those reporting significant effects detected between-group improvements in the health behaviour or related health outcomes, whilst fewer studies (n = 8; 42%) reported significant within-group improvements. A larger proportion of multi-component interventions (8 out of 13; 62%) showed significant between-group improvements compared to stand-alone app interventions (5 out of 14; 36%). Eleven studies reported app usage statistics, and three of them demonstrated that higher app usage was associated with improved health outcomes. This review provided modest evidence that app-based interventions to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviours can be effective. Multi-component interventions appear to be more effective than stand-alone app interventions, however, this remains to be confirmed in controlled trials. Future research is needed on the optimal number and combination of app features, behaviour change techniques, and level of participant contact needed to maximise user engagement and intervention efficacy.

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet

Controversy around the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines may lead to low vaccination rates. Survey data were collected in April and August 2020 from a total of 2343 Australian adults. A quarter (n = 575, 24%) completed both surveys. A generalized linear mixed model analysis was conducted to determine whether willingness to vaccinate changed in the repeated sample, and a multinominal logistic regression was conducted in all participants to determine whether willingness to vaccinate was associated with demographics, chronic disease, or media use. Willingness to vaccinate slightly decreased between April (87%) and August (85%) but this was not significant. Willingness to vaccinate was lower in people with a certificate or diploma (79%) compared to those with a Bachelor degree (87%), p < 0.01 and lower in infrequent users of traditional media (78%) compared to frequent users of traditional media (89%), p < 0.001. Women were more likely to be unsure if they would be willing to vaccinate (10%) compared to men (7%), p < 0.01. There were no associations between willingness to vaccinate and age, chronic disease, or social media use. Promotion of a COVID-19 vaccine should consider targeting women, and people with a certificate or diploma, via non-traditional media channels.

Background: COVID-19 has resulted in substantial global upheaval. Resilience is important in protecting wellbeing, however few studies have investigated changes in resilience over time, and associations between resilience with depression, anxiety, stress, and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Online surveys were conducted to collect both longitudinal and cross-sectional data at three time points during 2020. Australian adults aged 18 years and over were invited to complete the online surveys. Measures include the six-item Brief Resilience Scale, the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and the Active Australia Survey which have eight items identifying the duration and frequency of walking, and moderate and vigorous physical activities (MVPA), over the past 7 days. General linear mixed models and general linear models were used in the analysis. Results: In the longitudinal sample, adjusted differences (aDif) in resilience scores did not significantly change over time (time 2 vs. time 1 [aDif = − 0.02, 95% CI = − 0.08, 0.03], and time 3 vs. time 1 [aDif = < 0.01, 95% CI = − 0.07, 0.06]). On average, those engaging in at least 150 min of MVPA per week (aDif = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.16), and having depression (aDif = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.33), anxiety (aDif = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.26, 0.41), and stress scores (aDif = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.23, 0.37) within the normal range had significantly higher resilience scores. The association between resilience and physical activity was independent of depression, anxiety, and stress levels. All results were similar for the cross-sectional sample. Conclusions: Resilience scores did not change significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there were significant associations between resilience with physical activity and psychological distress. This research helps inform future interventions to enhance or nurture resilience, particularly targeted at people identified as at risk of psychological distress.