The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on perceived health and wellbeing of adult Australian sport and physical activity participants

Eime, R.; Harvey, J.; Charity, M.; Elliott, S.; Drummond, M.; Pankowiak, A.; Westerbeek, H.

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-13195-9

Table 3 Self-assessment of current health compared to one year ago: by respondent characteristics

From: The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on perceived health and wellbeing of adult Australian sport and physical activity participants

Health assessments	Characteristics						p-value¹
	Gender²
	Male		Female
	N	%	N	%
General health
Worse or much worse	425	33.2	242	27.9			.014
About the same	582	45.5	407	46.9
Better or much better	272	21.3	219	25.2
Total	1279	100.0	868	100.0
Physical health
Worse or much worse	478	37.5	285	32.9			.015
About the same	517	40.5	348	40.1
Better or much better	281	22.0	234	27.0
Total	1276	100.0	867	100.0
Mental health
Worse or much worse	532	41.6	320	36.9			.038
About the same	532	41.6	372	42.9
Better or much better	215	16.8	176	20.3
Total	1279	100.0	868	100.0
	Age (years)
	18–29		30–49		50–59
	N	%	N	%	N	%
General health
Worse or much worse	205	38.0	313	32.3	153	23.6	< .001
About the same	191	35.4	437	45.1	362	56.0
Better or much better	143	26.5	219	22.6	132	20.4
Total	539	100.0	969	100.0	647	100.0
Physical health
Worse or much worse	219	40.7	365	37.7	183	28.3	< .001
About the same	163	30.3	377	39.0	326	50.5
Better or much better	156	29.0	225	23.3	137	21.2
Total	538	100.0	967	100.0	646	100.0
Mental health
Worse or much worse	236	43.8	399	41.2	220	34.0	< .001
About the same	173	32.1	395	40.8	339	52.4
Better or much better	130	24.1	175	18.1	88	13.6
Total	539	100.0	969	100.0	647	100.0
	Region
	Metropolitan		Non-metropolitan
	N	%	N	%
General health
Worse or much worse	451	31.4	216	30.6			.315
About the same	647	45.0	340	48.2
Better or much better	340	23.6	150	21.2
Total	1438	100.0	706	100.0
Physical health
Worse or much worse	519	36.2	244	34.6			.312
About the same	562	39.2	300	42.6
Better or much better	354	24.7	161	22.8
Total	1435	100.0	705	100.0
							.057
Mental health
Worse or much worse	590	41.0	262	37.1
About the same	580	40.3	323	45.8
Better or much better	268	18.6	121	17.1
Total	1438	100.0	706	100.0
	Sport and physical activity settings
	Club³		Informal only⁴		Inactive
	N	%	N	%	N	%
General health							.001
Worse or much worse	583	32.6	79	22.9	9	45.0
About the same	818	45.7	165	47.8	7	35.0
Better or much better	389	21.7	101	29.3	4	20.0
Total	1790	100.0	345	100.0	20	100.0
Physical health							.002
Worse or much worse	665	37.2	92	26.7	10	50.0
About the same	710	39.8	150	43.5	6	30.0
Better or much better	411	23.0	103	29.9	4	20.0
Total	1786	100.0	345	100.0	20	100.0
Mental health							< .001
Worse or much worse	742	41.5	107	31.0	6	30.0
About the same	746	41.7	154	44.6	7	35.0
Better or much better	302	16.9	84	24.3	7	35.0
Total	1790	100.0	345	100.0	20	100.0
	Sport and physical activity modes
	Team⁵		Individual only⁶		Inactive
	N	%	N	%	N	%
General health
Worse or much worse	465	32.0	197	29.0	9	45.0	.423
About the same	658	45.2	325	47.8	7	35.0
Better or much better	332	22.8	158	23.2	4	20.0
Total	1455	100.0	680	100.0	20	100.0
Physical health
Worse or much worse	529	36.4	228	33.6	10	50.0	.335
About the same	569	39.2	291	42.9	6	30.0
Better or much better	354	24.4	160	23.6	4	20.0
Total	1452	100.0	679	100.0	20	100.0
Mental health
Worse or much worse	576	39.6	273	40.1	6	30.0	.237
About the same	625	43.0	275	40.4	7	35.0
Better or much better	254	17.5	132	19.4	7	35.0
Total	1455	100.0	680	100.0	20	100.0

¹Chi-square test of independence
²Seven respondents who reported their gender as’Other’ were excluded from the gender breakdowns because the small sample size provided inadequate statistical power to enable reliable conclusions to be drawn about this population
³Those who participated in club sports, including those who also participated in informal sport or other recreational physical activities
⁴Those who participated in informal sport or other recreational physical activities, but not in club sports
⁵Those who participated in team sports or activities, including those who also participated in individual sports or activities
⁶Those who participated in individual sports or physical activities, but not in team sports or activities

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ISSN: 1471-2458

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