Saúde de mulheres de dois grupos de atividade física: estudo de acompanhamento durante a COVID-19

Abstract

The objective was to monitor mental health indicators and the practice of breathing and stretching exercises in the domestic context during two months of the COVID-19 pandemic among women who were enrolled in two physical activity groups in Primary Health Care. The sample included 17 women, who participated in all telephone contacts at four moments. The variables were self-perceived health, anxiety, quality of sleep and concentration, in addition to economic difficulties (lack of basics at home in the period), breathing and stretching exercises at home, and possible barriers to performing these exercises. The Friedman test was used to verify differences in the variables at the four moments. Significant differences in self-perception of sleep quality (with worst results in T4) and in the practice of exercises (worst results in T1) were observed. In three of the four moments of monitoring, at least one woman reported that she lacked the basics for survival. Eleven women mentioned barriers in at least one of the moments of the study to perform the exercises, being not knowing how to perform the exercise or feeling insecure performing the most mentioned barrier. Considering the need to adapt health services to the pandemic, monitoring actions, combined with listening and counseling strategies, can be a good alternative for monitoring the health of participants in physical activity groups.