Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on an international sample of golfers with disabilities.
PM R
; 16(1): 54-59, 2024 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37448374
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Participation in adaptive sports can mitigate the risk for obesity and social isolation/loneliness in individuals with disabilities (IWDs). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and related changes in physical activity exacerbated existing barriers to participation in adaptive sports. There is limited literature assessing the potentially disproportionate effect of pandemic-related changes to physical activity in IWDs.OBJECTIVE:
To determine how golf benefits IWDs and understand the effect of changes to golfing habits during the pandemic.DESIGN:
A survey was distributed to all registered players (n = 1759) of the European Disabled Golf Association (April 2021). It assessed participants' demographic information (age, sex, race/ethnicity, nationality, impairment, golf handicap), golf habits before/after the pandemic, and perceived impact of golf and COVID-19-related golf restrictions to physical/mental health and quality of life (QoL).SETTING:
European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) worldwide database. PATIENTS Responses were received from 171 IWDs representing 24 countries. Age 18 years or older and registration with EDGA were required for inclusion.INTERVENTIONS:
Survey.OUTCOMES:
Self-reported golfing habits, mental/physical health, and QoL.RESULTS:
Mean participant age was 51.4 ± 12.9 years. Most respondents were amputees (41.5%) or had neurological diagnoses (33.9%). Pre-pandemic, 95% of respondents indicated that golf provided an opportunity to socialize, and most participants reported that golf positively affected physical/mental health and QoL. During the pandemic, more than 20% of participants reported golfing with fewer partners and 24.6% of participants reported playing fewer rounds per month (p < .001 for both); these findings were consistent across geographical region, ethnicity, and type of disability. Most participants (68.4%) perceived that their ability to golf had been impacted by COVID-19 and that these changes negatively affected their mental/physical health and QoL.CONCLUSIONS:
Golf benefits the physical/mental health and QoL of IWDs internationally. Changes to golfing habits throughout the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected these individuals. This highlights the need to create opportunities for physical activity engagement and socialization among adaptive athletes during a global pandemic.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Disabled Persons
/
COVID-19
/
Golf
Aspects:
Patient_preference
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
PM R
Journal subject:
MEDICINA FISICA
/
REABILITACAO
/
TRAUMATOLOGIA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Estados Unidos