The Association between Gender and Physical Activity Was Partially Mediated by Social Network Size during COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted physical activity, particularly among women. Limited research has explored how social network support may explain gender-based variations in physical activity during COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of social networks in the association between gender and physical activity during a pandemic. This cross-sectional survey assessed whether social network characteristics (i.e., in-person social network size, frequency of in-person social network interactions, and online friend network size) mediate the relationship between gender and either past-week or past-year physical activity. Multiple mediation analyses were conducted to determine the indirect effect of gender on physical activity through social networks. Among 205 participants, women (n = 129) were significantly less physically active (ß = -73.82; p = 0.02) than men (n = 76) and reported significantly more Facebook friends (ß = 0.30; p < 0.001) than men, which was inversely associated with past-week physical activity (ß = -64.49; p = 0.03). Additionally, the indirect effect of gender on past-week physical activity through Facebook friends was significant (ß = -19.13; 95% CI [-40.45, -2.09]). Findings suggest that social media sites such as Facebook could be used to encourage physical activity among women during a pandemic.

Clinical Research in the Hospital During the Pandemic: What’s Worked and Not Worked?

Under normal conditions, the hospital setting presents multiple challenges to research with persons with dementia and their care partners. This presentation describes the additional barriers posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the strategies to meet those challenges, in a cluster randomized controlled trial that examines the efficacy of a nurse-family partnership to promote functional recovery of persons with dementia. In response to research restrictions, the research team altered their plan for recruitment, implementation of the intervention, data collection, and analytic approach. This presentation describes these alterations and discusses the plan to meet the aims of the project while meeting the requirements of the Institutional Review Board, accountability to the funder, and university regulations. Modifications in staffing patterns, staff training, and procedures will also be discussed, as well as the study timeline. Finally, strategies to maintain a positive attitude and productivity within the team will be discussed.