Background The extreme social circumstances caused by declared COVID-19 pandemic deeply intervene people’s everyday life and should not be neglected but seen through the view of social reality pinpointing the ‘ordinary’ people. In this article, authors explored basic segments of everyday and their subjective perception to what extent sleeping habits, physical inactivity, physical activity, nutritional habits and smoking have changed. Methods The online survey was conducted in nine European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo*, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain) in 4108 participants, aged 15–82 years. The survey took place 30–40 days after World Health Organization declared COVID-19 pandemic state, from 15 April to 3 May 2020. Results The results have shown 30 min longer sleeping time, 50% longer physical inactivity time, 65% longer screen time, 43% shorter walking time, 24% shorter sport time and 37% longer physical work time. Additionally, body mass gains (0.3 kg) could be explained in 20.6% with meals sizes, unhealthy food consumption, screen time and sport time. Further, respondents reported more regular meals (44%) and healthier meals with less alcohol consumption and less smoking, which have been positive outcomes of home confinement. Conclusion The findings draw attention to negative changes in everyday praxis (inactivity, body mass gain) after such a short period. Because of possible risk to population’s health (especially of countries such as Italy and Spain with serious threat and more stringent measures), findings enable development of recommendations for maintaining healthy lifestyle habits with minimal negative health consequences in similar pandemic circumstances.

The aim of the current study is to examine gender, age. and cross-country differences in fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness during the lockdown, by comparing people from those countries with a high rate of infections and deaths (e.g., Spain and Italy) and from countries with a mild spread of infection (e.g., Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina). A total of 3876 participants (63% female) completed an online survey on “Everyday life practices in COVID-19 time” in April 2020, including measures of fear of COVID-19 and loneliness. Males and females of all age groups in countries suffering from the powerful impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reported greater fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness. In less endangered countries, females and the elderly reported more symptoms than males and the young; in Spanish and Italian samples, the pattern of differences is considerably more complex. Future research should thoroughly examine different age and gender groups. The analysis of emotional well-being in groups at risk of mental health issues may help to lessen the long term social and economic costs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The current study investigated the motives that underlie support for COVID-19 preventive behaviorsin a large, cross-cultural sample of 12,758 individuals from 34 countries. We hypothesized that the associations of empathic prosocial concern and fear of disease, with support towards preventive COVID-19 behaviors would be moderated by the individual-level and country-level trust in the government. Results suggest that the association between fear of disease and support for COVID-19 preventive behaviors was strongest when trust in the government was weak (both at individual and country-level). Conversely, the association with empathic prosocial concern was strongest when trust was high, but this moderation was only found at individual-level scores of governmental trust. We discuss how both fear and empathy motivations to support preventive COVID-19 behaviors may be shaped by socio-cultural context, and outline how the present findings may contribute to a better understanding of collective action during global crises.

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The aim of this paper was to discover certain characteristics of top athletes for a better understanding of their career, life and function, and to rid oneself of widespread prejudices and stereotypes about athletes. The sample encompassed 301 athletes (154 F and 147 M), medal winners in top competitions: the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, World Cups and European Cups, and the Mediterranean Games from 1992 to 2012. The participants in the survey were those athletes who were available and who willingly joint the survey, including athletes from 39 sports (22 Olympic, 15 non-Olympic and 2 associated). The answers to 27 questions, out of the total of 81 from the questionnaire used in the doctoral thesis by G. Bjelić, Ph.D. (2018), were analysed. Research has shown that athletes are unhappy with the support by the state, the alliance and/or their club. Most believe that they received too little support and have invested in sports more than their sport has given to them. What attracts them most is success, socializing and travelling, and gaining discipline, working habits and organizational skills. Most of them are also attracted by great efforts and sacrifices. As for public exposure, most respondents are indifferent. Yet, double is the number of those deterred by it than those attracted by it. What deters athletes from sport is mostly neglecting other activities and a lack of time for socializing and entertainment outside sports. It was further determined that most athletes are satisfied with themselves as persons.