Pandemic-specific coping, anxiety, and depression across multiple waves of COVID-19 in elite athletes with disabilities.

Objectives: Competitive athletes have faced many of the same mental health challenges experienced by the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the current study was to examine the extent to which pandemic-specific coping predicted anxiety and depression over and above general coping styles in elite athletes with disabilities across multiple waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Participants were 91 athletes (60 men and 31 women) in the Polish Paralympic Preparation Program before the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games and 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympic Games. The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and an open-ended item asking participants to describe coping resources they had used to overcome stressful situations caused by the pandemic were administered in April 2021, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was administered in April, July, and November of 2021. Results: General coping styles were not significantly associated with pandemic-specific coping, anxiety, or depression in the July and November 2021 assessments. Pandemic-specific coping was related prospectively to both anxiety and depression across the July and November 2021 assessments when controlling for age, gender, general coping styles, and April 2021 anxiety and depression, respectively. Conclusion: The findings suggest that elite athletes with disabilities may cope with pandemic-related stress differently from how they cope with stress in general and that pandemic-specific coping may be relevant to mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This information may be useful in the development of interventions to assist elite athletes with disabilities cope with pandemics and other atypical stressors.

Promoting Physical Activity Among Children and Adolescents With Disabilities: The Translation of Policy to Practice Internationally.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity among children and adolescents with disabilities (CAWD) is a global public health issue. Policy efforts to promote physical activity (PA) among CAWD have increased. This study summarizes the international policy trend for promoting PA among CAWD, with behavioral and policy insights specific to CAWD from country/regional indicators from the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Matrix on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents to determine policy translation into practice. METHODS: International and national PA policy documents on CAWD were assessed. Data from the Global Matrix Para Report Cards on the behavioral and government indicators from 14 countries or regions (grouped by human development index) were reviewed and compared. RESULTS: Policy instruments began promoting PA for CAWD in 1989 via the Convention on the Rights of the Child. International policy has been advocating PA specifically for CAWD recently. In 2020, the World Health Organization published specific PA guidelines for CAWD. Data from the 14 Para Report Car found 14 grades on the average behavioral indicator and 12 on the government indicator. A gap between the average behavioral indicator (D-) and the government indicator (C+) was found in the Para Report Card data. CONCLUSIONS: Although international policies are consistent in their attention to the needs of CAWD, national/regional policies vary. Coverage ranges from nonexistent to embedded in broader inclusion concepts. A gap in policies to promote PA of CAWD is prevalent and is more prominent in countries or regions with a lower human development index ranking.

Leisure time physical activity in persons with spinal cord injury across the seasons.

OBJECTIVES: The main goal of this study was to assess the level of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and its differentiation across the seasons among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). The additional aim was to determine whether socio-demographical, injury, and seasonal factors are determinants of LTPA. METHODS: This study included 51 adults with SCI, who completed the LTPA questionnaire for persons with SCI during a calendar year in the middle of four seasons, and demographic questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis was used to examine the role of socio-demographical, injury, and seasonal variables, as determinants of LTPA. RESULTS: The levels of LTPA were differentiated throughout the seasons. Three models containing variables related to LTPA were created. All models were significant, for mild LTPA (F = 10.01, r 2 = 0.21), moderate LTPA (F = 5.24, r 2 = 0.9), and heavy LTPA (F = 7.09, r 2 = 0.6). Age at the time of study, lack of employment, tetraplegia, and shorter time since injury were significantly, negatively associated with LTPA. CONCLUSION: LTPA in persons with SCI differs significantly in relation to the seasons throughout a year. The season of the year should be considered in future studies and interventions on LTPA in adults with SCI.