HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOURS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, taking care of one’s health may pose certain challenges. The aim of this paper was to present the emotional aspects of changing health-related lifestyle during COVID-19 pandemic also taking into account previous experiences. The study focuses on introduction of health- promoting behaviours and elimination of detrimental to health behaviours.

107 people participated in the study. It was based on an original questionnaire created by the author and questionnaire tools: the Polish adaptation of the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire and the Polish adaptation of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale DASS-21. Data was collected over a period of one month.

Many of the respondents believe that a healthy lifestyle should be taken seriously, in particular during the pandemic. The majority of the respondents consider it difficult to follow a healthy lifestyle due to the COVID-19. The respondents were less likely to abandon behaviours detrimental to health practised so far. Those who had been trying to introduce health-promoting behaviours were diagnosed with a higher intensity of anxiety. Respondents who had been trying to eliminate behaviours detrimental to health experienced a higher intensity of anxiety, higher level of stress and fatigue.

During the pandemic habitual coping strategies tend to be used more often. When modifying one’s health-related behaviours, it is worth taking into account that the previous health-related actions have an impact on the type of effort currently undertaken. Successful coping with a crisis depends on the effectiveness of the self-regulatory process.