Background: Emerging research has suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions and lockdown resulted in decreasing physical activity levels and poor health globally. Most of the studies reporting on the pandemic and physical activity were from advanced countries. This study assessed self-perceived health status and physical activity among youth and adults in Ghana before, during, and after the COVID-19 restrictions.
Methods: The participants were 932 young Ghanaians who completed an online survey as part of the General Health, Speech, and Physical Activity Relationship Assessment Study in Ghana. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), anxiety was assessed using the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).
Results: Out of the 937 participants involved in the study, 56.5% were males and 35% were females. Places where participants engaged in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and gender showed significant associations with levels of PA. How participants perceived their health status did not show a significant association with physical activity in this study.
Conclusion: A high proportion of participants reported performing physical activity in their homes during the pandemic. The home is a convenient place to engage in physical activity and must be encouraged, especially during pandemic restrictions.