Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on the Health-Related Habits of People at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

The general lockdown decreed in Spain due to the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the ALAS health promotion intervention aimed at the population at high risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. We conducted a descriptive study in 2020 through a telephone survey and a comparison with baseline data to determine the impact of confinement on the lifestyles of the participants. We collected sociodemographic variables and conducted assessments before/after confinement on general health status and lifestyle (sleep, physical activity and diet). Additionally, weight, BMI and adherence to a Mediterranean diet were assessed. Descriptive statistical analyses, comparisons of pre-post confinement data and logistic regression were carried out. A total of 387 individuals responded. Among them, 31.8% reported a worse perception of health after confinement, and 63,1% reported no change. Regarding exercise, 61.1% reduced their weekly physical activity time. Regarding diet, 34,4% perceived worse quality, and 53.4% reported no change, despite the fact that 89.4% declared changes in their eating practices. Weight and BMI decreased by 3,1%, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet improved from baseline. Confinement had a negative impact on the general health, diet, sleep and physical activity of this population (at risk of diabetes); however, weight and BMI decreased, and adherence to a Mediterranean diet improved.

Coping with intimate partner violence and the COVID-19 lockdown: The perspectives of service professionals in Spain.

Socioeconomic crisis and humanitarian disasters can cause increased stress for women who experience inter-partner violence (IPV). This study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on this important issue, their related health and social services and working conditions from the perspectives of professionals in different sectors. Forty-three semi-structured interviews were carried out with 47 professionals (44 women and 3 men) from 40 different entities (September 2020-April 2021). This content analysis suggests that the pandemic and its associated prevention measures have had a negative impact on women exposed to IPV and their children, which affected their social wellbeing. Professionals described burnout, difficult and slow administrative processes, and problems with coordination and access to information. These negative impacts were mitigated, in part, by the work of professionals, but this suggests that a series of key strategies are needed to improve the response capacity of the service sector to IPV in situations of crisis. These improvements are related to the availability of human and material resources; an efficient coordination network between the professionals from different sectors; existence of informal support networks in the community; protocols/procedures and prior training for better implementation; and greater flexibility and accessibility of basic services that benefit women who experience IPV.

Adequacy of telework spaces in homes during the lockdown in Madrid, according to socioeconomic factors and home features

In Spain, the COVID-19 confinement was carried out in the spring of 2020. All non-essential activities were temporarily suspended. This brought with it the adaptation to home office (telework), still emerging in Europe, and more in Spain. Although the response in general has been positive, the conditions to which families have been subjected to telework cannot be considered normal. In this context, an online survey was requested to find out the experience of confined households in relation to the dwelling adaptation and satisfaction following the new needs in lockdown. The data obtained on workspace perception and its adequacy were studied in Madrid, stratified by gender and average income, for a sample of 256 households with people teleworking or studying. The results showed that the adequacy of telework spaces were insufficient for a third of the households, without no significant relationship with most of socioeconomic variables, nor with home characteristics. The variables related to this inadequacy of the spaces were: the number of people who work or study at home;the lack of exclusive spaces for teleworking;and the availability of digital resources. This perception also depended on the qualities of the teleworking space, as size, furniture and lighting, among others.