Association Between Physical Activity and Mental Health in Health Professionals in the Context of the Pandemic: A Study in Southern Brazil.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to verify the association between physical activity (PA) and mental health among health professionals in southern Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with 101 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health and PA were assessed using the questionnaires. The association of PA with stress was tested by linear regression, and anxiety and depressive symptoms by Poisson regression. RESULTS: The stress was inversely associated with individuals who performed some PA (ß -3.53;95% CI -6.63;-0.44) and who met the PA recommendations (active) (ß -6.84;95% CI -12.44;-1.24). Workers who performed some PA (PR 0.76;95% CI 0.67;0.86) and were active (PR 0.75;95% CI 0.60;0.93) were less likely to have severe symptoms of anxiety. For depression, workers who performed some PA (PR 0.81;95% CI 0.71;0.92) and were active (PR 0.69;95% CI 0.54;0.88), the probability was also smaller. CONCLUSIONS: The practice of PA was inversely associated with symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety.