Dataset Information

Running on empty: a longitudinal global study of psychological well-being among runners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

There are indications that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound negative effect on psychological well-being. Here, we investigated this hypothesis using longitudinal data from a large global cohort of runners, providing unprecedented leverage for understanding how the temporal development in the pandemic pressure relates to well-being across countries.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Global.

Participants

We used data from the worldwide Garmin-RUNSAFE cohort that recruited runners with a Garmin Connect account, which is used for storing running activities tracked by a Garmin device. A total of 7808 Garmin Connect users from 86 countries participated.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

From 1 August 2019 (prepandemic) to 31 December 2020, participants completed surveys every second week that included the five-item WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Pandemic pressure was proxied by the number of COVID-19-related deaths per country, retrieved from the Coronavirus Resource Centre at Johns Hopkins University. Panel data regression including individual- and time-fixed effects was used to study the association between country-level COVID-19-related deaths over the past 14 days and individual-level self-reported well-being over the past 14 days.

Results

The 7808 participants completed a total of 125 409 WHO-5 records over the study period. We found a statistically significant inverse relationship between the number of COVID-19-related deaths and the level of psychological well-being-independent of running activity and running injuries (a reduction of 1.42 WHO-5 points per COVID-19-related death per 10 000 individuals, p<0.001).

Conclusions

This study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on the psychological well-being of the affected populations, which is concerning from a global mental health perspective.

SUBMITTER: Vistisen HT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9441734 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Running on empty: a longitudinal global study of psychological well-being among runners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vistisen Helene Tilma HT Sønderskov Kim Mannemar KM Dinesen Peter Thisted PT Brund René Børge Korsgaard RBK Nielsen Rasmus Østergaard RØ Østergaard Søren Dinesen SD

BMJ open 20220902 9

<h4>Objectives</h4>There are indications that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound negative effect on psychological well-being. Here, we investigated this hypothesis using longitudinal data from a large global cohort of runners, providing unprecedented leverage for understanding how the temporal development in the pandemic pressure relates to well-being across countries.<h4>Design</h4>Prospective cohort study.<h4>Setting</h4>Global.<h4>Participants</h4>We used data from the worldwide Garmin- ...[more]

PMID: 36194449

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Dataset Information

Running on empty: a longitudinal global study of psychological well-being among runners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Running on empty: a longitudinal global study of psychological well-being among runners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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