Background: The world is currently undergoing a pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19). According to the World Health Organization, patients with chronic illnesses appear to be at the highest risk for COVID-19 associated sequelae. Inability to participate in outpatient-based rehabilitation programs and being home-bound can increase the risk for and potential worsening of chronic health conditions. This study evaluated the short-term effects of telerehabilitation on patients’ walk test performance and health related quality of life (HRQoL).  Methods: 47 patients (23 cardiovascular, 15 pulmonary, 9 oncology) participated in the telerehabilitation program. At baseline and following a 1-month intervention, patients had their 6-minute walk test distance (6MWTD) and HRQoL assessed. Average daily step counts were measured by the PACER App. Conclusion: Our results indicate that a short-term, supervised virtual telerehabilitation program had significant positive effects on 6MWTD and HRQoL in cardiac, pulmonary and oncology patients during COVID-19.

Background COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, and as of this writing, Texas, United States, has reported >675,000 cases with over 14,000 deaths. Many of the preventive measures implemented during the pandemic can increase sedentary lifestyles, which can lead to the development of chronic diseases, including obesity, among the general population and cause serious threats to people’s physical health and overall quality of life. Individuals with pre-existing comorbidities are at an increased risk of COVID-19 and may hence have higher levels of stress. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity levels and mental health status on an individual level and to compare them between those with and those without comorbidities in a cohort of Texas residents, before and after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Methods An electronic survey was disseminated throughout various regions of Texas. In total, 160 individuals were asked questions about their demographic characteristics, time spent on daily physical activities, and daily mental health status before and after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics were analyzed. Results Overall, 94 (58%) participants reported having ≥1 medical condition, and 31 (13.1%) had >3 medical conditions. Physical activity levels among participants with ≥1 pre-existing comorbidity drastically—but not significantly—decreased, as evident from a 10% increase in sedentary lifestyles after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. On the contrary, we observed a 9% increase in the number of individuals without a pre-existing comorbidity who reported 30-60 min of physical activity per week. There was a 2-fold increase in the number of participants reporting more frequent feelings of nervousness, too much worry, trouble relaxing, and the fear of something awful happening after the pandemic. More specifically, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions reported, on average, a 10% higher incidence of feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness compared to their healthy counterparts after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Conclusions Stressful life conditions and chronic comorbidities are risk factors that can affect mental health and reduce the ability to perform activities of daily life. Therefore, when implementing pandemic protocols, municipalities should consider providing mental health support to their citizens to protect them from this rather inconspicuous adverse effect.

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Background: COVID-19 has impacted the well-being of individuals living in India. Lockdowns have helped prevent the spread of COVID-19. Alternatively, this has led to negative impacts on maintaining healthy lifestyles. This study describes the physical activity and mental health status of Mumbai residents living with and without pre-existing illnesses. Objective: This descriptive, cross-sectional study reviews survey responses from participants from Mumbai, India. Methods and Material: An online survey was disseminated via social media platforms. Respondents answered questions regarding their demographics, health history, mental status, and physical activity levels pre-pandemic and after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration.Descriptive statistical analysis was completed. A paired sample t-test was used to calculate differences between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic effects. Significance was set at p<0.05. Results: A total of 146 responses were returned. Approximately 42% of participants reported having one or more pre-existing medical condition. Total participants reported increased sedentary lifestyle after the declared pandemic (p=0.0001per weekday and p=0.006per weekend). Although not significant, physical activity levels were reduced by 35% in participants with pre-existing medical conditions. Respondents reported having increased feelings of nervousness, anxious, or being on edge post-COVID (p=0.01). Significant decrease in general feelings of sadness (p=0.006), anxiety (p=0.03) and stress (p=0.002) post-COVID were also reported. Conclusions: Quarantine measures trigger psychological problems in certain areas. Physical activity has benefits to reduce COVID-19 infection while also promoting psychological health, thus promoting physical activity should be a public health priority.

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