Subjective health and consciousness of a preventive care group post COVID-19 hiatus

Abstract

Objective: This study investigates the subjective health and consciousness of participants in care prevention voluntary group activities that resumed after the state of emergency due to COVID-19 was lifted.

Methods: The participants were 73 people (78.0 (6.3) years old) in 11 groups. Participants in the restarted group conducted a questionnaire survey on subjective health and consciousness of group activities while group activities were suspended and after resuming activities. A chi-squared test was performed for the relationship between subjective health and timing.

Results: There was no significant difference in the subjective health of the participants. Many participants engaged in mild physical activities like walking or gymnastics while group activities were suspended. Some participants felt happy about the group activities restarting as they could meet their friends again. Most of the anxieties were related to “infection risk” and “decrease in physical and muscle strength.”

Conclusions: After resuming group activities, the participants felt anxiety about their health in terms of infection risk and deterioration of physical and muscle strength, but also felt the positive effects of social participation and improvement of physical function. It was inferred that they were positive about the recommencement of group activities.