A Cross-Sectional Study on Physical Activity and Psychological Distress in Adults with Asthma

Ángel Denche-Zamorano; Javier Urbano-Mairena; Raquel Pastor-Cisneros; Laura Muñoz-Bermejo; Sabina Barrios-Fernandez; Miguel Ángel Garcia-Gordillo; Alexis Colmenarez-Mendoza; Joan Guerra-Bustamante; María Mendoza-Muñoz

doi:10.3390/healthcare10122469

A Cross-Sectional Study on Physical Activity and Psychological Distress in Adults with Asthma

Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Dec 7;10(12):2469. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10122469.

Authors

Ángel Denche-Zamorano¹, Javier Urbano-Mairena¹, Raquel Pastor-Cisneros², Laura Muñoz-Bermejo², Sabina Barrios-Fernandez³, Miguel Ángel Garcia-Gordillo⁴, Alexis Colmenarez-Mendoza⁵, Joan Guerra-Bustamante⁶, María Mendoza-Muñoz^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Promoting a Healthy Society Research Group (PHeSO), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain.
² Social Impact and Innovation in Health (InHEALTH), University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain.
³ Occupation, Participation, Sustainability and Quality of Life (Ability Research Group), Nursing and Occupational Therapy College, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain.
⁴ Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca 3467987, Chile.
⁵ Departamento de Administración y Economía, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile.
⁶ Area of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, Department of Psychology and Anthropology, Faculty of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain.
⁷ Research Group on Physical and Health Literacy and Health-Related Quality of Life (PHYQOL), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain.
⁸ Departamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal.

Abstract

Physical Activity (PA) could contribute to decreasing psychological distress and improving Self-Perceived Health (SPH) in adults with Asthma. The main objective of this study was to analyse the associations between the Physical Activity Level (PAL) Perceived Social Support (PSS) and Mental Health, using the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and SPH in the adult population with Asthma. This descriptive cross-sectional study is based on data from the 2017 Spanish National Health Survey, including 1040 participants with Asthma in the study. The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to study the hypothetical differences between the PAL and the different variables derived from the GHQ-12. In addition, correlations between the variables generated and the items of the GHQ-12, together with the PAL and the Duke-UNC-11, were analysed using Spearman's rho correlation coefficients. Inverse correlations were found between Mental Health and PSS (rho: -0.351) and between Mental Health and PAL (rho: -0.209), as well as in the rest of the GHQ-12 items: successful coping (rho: -0.197), self-esteem (rho: -0.193) and stress (rho: -0.145). The more active subjects had better SPH. Therefore, the research showed how higher PAL and positive SPH are related to lower psychological distress in adults with Asthma.

Keywords: depression; health; mental health; perceived social support; psychology; self-perceived health.

Grants and funding

The author Á.D.-Z. (FPU20/04201) was supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport. Grants FPU20/04201 were funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and, as appropriate, by “European Social Fund Investing in your future” or by “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR”. The author M.M.-M. was supported by a grant from the Universities Ministry and the European Union (NextGenerationUE) (MS-12). This research was supported by the Research Groups Funding GR21192 from the Regional Ministry of Economy, Science, and Digital Agenda of the Government of Extremadura (Spain).