Acute psychological and behavioral effect of COVID-19 confinement measures in Spanish population

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic is now a major global health issue and quarantine is being applicated worldwide as a suppression measure. The aim of this study was to analyse the psychological and behavioural modifications associated with the first phase of the confinement period in Spanish population. Material and method: Variables of anxiety, sleep quality, motivation, food intake and physical activity habits and body weight were analysed in ninety-one participants (35.7±10.4 years old) at the beginning of the quarantine, after three days, one week, two weeks and three weeks of the confinement decreed in Spain. Results: A significant (P<0.05) increase of 20% prevalence was found in the number of participants that started to exercise. Despite this, anxiety levels increased throughout the confinement, being significant after 2 weeks of isolation compared to the initial moment. None of the other variables significantly presented modifications. Correlation analysis showed that anxiety levels were positively related to the number of daily food intakes and negatively to sleep quality. On the other hand, the time dedicated to aerobic exercise was negatively related to body weight and the number of intakes, and positively to the time dedicated to anaerobic exercise (p <0.05 for all correlations). Conclusion: We found how first phase of confinement period in the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain produced a significant increase in anxiety levels, and subjects that started to exercise, do not significantly affecting body weight, food intakes, sleep quality and motivation of subjects. Higher food ingestions per day positively correlated with anxiety and negatively with sleep quality. © 2021 Archivos de Medicina del Deporte. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Surgical Mask Use in Anaerobic Running Performance

COVID-19 restrictions stipulate the mandatory use of surgical masks during outdoor and indoor physical activities. The impact of this on athletic performance and especially on anaerobic physical activities is poorly known. The aim of the present research was to analyze the effect of surgical mask use on the anaerobic running performance of athletes. Modifications in running time, blood lactate, blood glucose, blood oxygen saturation, subjective perceived stress, rating of perceived exertion, and heart rate variability were measured in 50 m and 400 m maximal running tests with and without the use of surgical masks in 72 athletes. The use of a surgical mask increased blood lactate concentration, sympathetic autonomic modulation, perceived exertion, perceived stress, and decreased blood oxygen saturation in 50 and 400 m running tests. Thus, the higher levels of blood lactate and lower blood oxygen saturation require adaptation of the athlete's rest and recovery periods to the acute workload. The higher level of sympathetic activation makes the acute and chronic control of autonomic modulation essential for an efficient training periodization. Finally, the use of acid buffers such as bicarbonate or sodium citrate would be a recommended ergogenic strategy.

Exploring conflicts between stakeholders in tourism industry. Citizen attitude toward peer-to-peer accommodation platforms

Purpose: The expansion of online platforms for renting tourist accommodations has given rise to a great deal of controversy in society. Likewise, the arrival of tourists in residential settings has led to a wide range of positive and negative impacts, resulting in conflicts between different stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether there is variation in the perception of the impacts associated with peer-to-peer accommodation platforms among different stakeholders? Additionally, it also seeks to investigate what kind of impacts generate the highest level of conflict among stakeholders? Design/methodology/approach: Given the relative novelty of the problem, this paper proposes an exploratory study that sheds light on some of the main issues with the purpose of supporting further research in the future. The aim is to analyze which impacts are perceived as more positive or negative by each group and to create indexes of conflict for these groups regarding their perception of the impacts. This study is based on fieldwork carried out in April 2020, which consists of 600 online surveys of local residents in the city of Granada. This city, one of Spain’s main tourist spots, suffers the highest tourist pressure in the country. Findings: The exploratory study suggests that the greatest consensus is generated in the assessment of economic impacts, either negative or positive. The greatest conflicts are related to the assessment of the effect of this activity on housing preservation. The group comprising accommodation owners of tourist flats is the one that shows a more dissenting opinion from the rest, confronting especially the group formed by citizens whose income depends on tourism. Originality/value: There is a lack of studies on the perception of tourism impacts associated with online tourism rental platforms. This is the first study to analyze both, how the main stakeholders associated with this activity assess the different impacts derived from this form of tourist accommodation as a whole and the conflicts derived from such an assessment. An additional innovation is that the analysis investigates the potential fear of disease transmission caused by tourists. It would be interesting to continue this research by applying the same questionnaire in different environments, such as rural areas or societies with different structures from the one analyzed here. Likewise, future in-depth analysis of some of the conflicts is recommended so as to ascertain their origin. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Gender Differences in the COVID-19 Pandemic Risk Perception, Psychology, and Behaviors of Spanish University Students

The actual COVID-19 pandemic scenario has generated a context of uncertainty, helplessness, and inequality. Yet, the perception of COVID-19 risk has influenced nutritional, psychological, and physical activity patterns depending on gender. We conducted the present research with the aim of studying gender differences of university students in the perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in psychological, nutritional, oral health, and physical activity habits. To reach the study's aim, 300 volunteer university students completed an online questionnaire which analyzed variables of perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological profiles, and nutritional, oral health, and physical activity habits. Results showed that females presented a higher perception of danger to the COVID-19 virus than males but showed no differences in how the pandemic has affected personal lives. Females showed higher values of anxiety, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience, while males presented higher values of extraversion. Nutritionally, males presented greater consumption of soft drinks, meat, and pasta or rice, and lower buccal hygiene. Yet, no differences were found regarding physical activity patterns. Results from the present study could be used by various educational institutions to implement multidisciplinary interventions to reduce the stress and risk perception.