Predictors of physical activity and smoking among German teachers during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Abstract Background The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has influenced the social and health-related behavior due to significant changes and constraints in the professional and private life. Especially in the school context, there were considerable changes, which may have promoted positive and negative health behaviors. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify the predictors of physical activity and smoking of teachers during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods In March 2021, a nation-wide online survey was conducted among teachers in Germany. A total number of 31,089 participants entered analysis. Data on smoking and physical activity as well as sociodemographic, workplace-related, psychological, SARS-CoV-2-related, and health-related items were collected using established instruments and if necessary self-developed items. Two binary logistic regressions with block wise inclusion of the different variable groups were performed to predict physical activity and smoking. Results Among all surveyed teachers, 70.1% did not comply with the WHO recommendation of being physically active for at least 150 minutes per week and 13.9% reported to smoke. The regression analyses revealed significant predictors for physical activity (e.g., time requirement) and smoking (e.g., work schedule). Conclusions Recommendations to improve teachers’ health can be derived from the predictors for physical activity and smoking that were identified in our study. Given the alarming result that more than two thirds of the teachers did not comply with the WHO recommendations, a special focus should be placed on improving physical activity, as this is a crucial factor for somatic and mental health. Key messages Teachers in Germany showed alarmingly low compliance regarding the WHO recommendations on physical activity during the pandemic. To improve teachers’ health, it is important to take into account significant predictors of health behavior when planning interventions.


Background:
The availability and use of preventive measures such as diet courses, sports groups, and counselling services were hindered by containment measures set by the German government and local authorities to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regulations on contact restriction, closure of sport and leisure facilities made it difficult to use prevention programs in 2020 and 2021. So far, no information is available to what extent the participation of the population in prevention programs has changed as a result of the pandemic and whether there are group differences regarding sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods:
We used standardized telephone interviews of the adult German-speaking population to ask for changes in the participation in prevention measures in the last 12 months as a result of the corona pandemic. The data were collected between 17.3.2021 and 18.08.2021 in four cross-sectional surveys and is representative of the population aged 18 years and older in Germany. Analyses of the weighted and pooled data were conducted for n = 3,998 individuals by gender, age and education.

Results:
Almost one third of the respondents reported a lower use of programs (28.3%). An unchanged use of the programs was stated by 6.5%, a higher use by 2.1%. 63.2% said they did not use such programs. More women (33.6%) than men (22.7%) reported reduced pandemic-related use (p < 0.0001). For women, we observed a difference between age and education groups, but not for men: Lower participation was reported by a higher proportion of older than younger women (p < 0.0001). More women with high education reported an increased use than ones with low education (p = 0.003) (preliminary results).

Conclusions:
The observed differences indicate to different barriers to use prevention measures during the pandemic, especially for women. To promote equal opportunities, resilient structures of prevention and health promotion should be built for future crises in advance.

Key messages:
The use of prevention measures was seriously reduced by the corona pandemic.
To be prepared for further crises, concrete barriers to use prevention programs under crisis conditions should be identified and addressed through public health actions.

Background:
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has influenced the social and healthrelated behavior due to significant changes and constraints in the professional and private life. Especially in the school context, there were considerable changes, which may have promoted positive and negative health behaviors. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify the predictors of physical activity and smoking of teachers during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Methods:
In March 2021, a nation-wide online survey was conducted among teachers in Germany. A total number of 31,089 15th European Public Health Conference 2022 iii367 participants entered analysis. Data on smoking and physical activity as well as sociodemographic, workplace-related, psychological, SARS-CoV-2-related, and health-related items were collected using established instruments and if necessary self-developed items. Two binary logistic regressions with block wise inclusion of the different variable groups were performed to predict physical activity and smoking.

Results:
Among all surveyed teachers, 70.1% did not comply with the WHO recommendation of being physically active for at least 150 minutes per week and 13.9% reported to smoke. The regression analyses revealed significant predictors for physical activity (e.g., time requirement) and smoking (e.g., work schedule).

Conclusions:
Recommendations to improve teachers' health can be derived from the predictors for physical activity and smoking that were identified in our study. Given the alarming result that more than two thirds of the teachers did not comply with the WHO recommendations, a special focus should be placed on improving physical activity, as this is a crucial factor for somatic and mental health. In a multivariate analysis, women whose spouses drink have a 3.11 times higher chance (p < 0.01; adjOR = 3.11, 95%CI 3-3.23) of experiencing domestic violence than women whose husbands don't drink.

Conclusions:
The effect of the husband's alcohol use on the occurrence of domestic violence can be used to guide evidence-based targeted intervention. Key messages: Domestic violence is a public health issue with potential for targeted intervention. Targeted interventions in husbands' alcohol consumption of women who suffer domestic violence might guide useful interventions to address this problem.
Abstract citation ID: ckac130.139 An interdisciplinary intervention for health prevention and promotion in a Roman neighborhood

Alberto Lontano
A Lontano 1 , C De Waure 2 , E Marziali 1 , F D'Ambrosio 1 , C Galletti 1,3 , E Mazza 4 , A Mingarelli 5,6 , E Urbani 5 , V Galasso 5 , P Laurenti Influencing behavioral patterns through primary prevention, possibly addressing more risk factors at a time, is the most effective means to tackle cardiovascular diseases. Many interdisciplinary prevention activities have been coordinated by community nurses outside of specialist centers, resulting in a more effective control of risk factors. Our study aims at describing the impact of an 18-month prevention and promotion, interdisciplinary intervention on lifestyle habits and cardiovascular risk. From December 2018 to May 2020, patients were recruited by 4 General Practitioners (GPs) in the Roman neighborhood of Torresina and received nutritional, physical and psychological counselling to learn healthy lifestyles. Until May 2020 patients had to self-manage their new healthy habits, but during this phase the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic broke out. Patients were assessed at baseline, 6, 12 and 18 months by a nutritionist, a physiotherapist, a psychologist, the 4 GPs and community nurses, and the cardiovascular risk score (CRS) was estimated at every examination. 76 patients were included, with a mean age of 54,6 years. Mean CRS showed a significant reduction between baseline and 12 months (from 4.9 to 3.8, p < 0.001), but this trend was not maintained at 18 months. As for variables included in the calculation of the cardiovascular risk score, both total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure significantly decreased at 6 months of follow up (respectively, from 211.1 to 192 (p < 0.001) and from 133.1 to 123.1(p < 0.001)). Nontheless, the reduction was maintained in the remaining points in time only for systolic blood pressure. Our interdisciplinary educational intervention in a primary care setting resulted in a CRS improvement at 12 months, but this changes where not maintained at 18 months. Community nurses were facilitators in improving health outcomes and patient's satisfaction in the described primary care setting. Key messages: Our interdisciplinary educational intervention in a primary care setting resulted in a CRS improvement at 12 months, but this changes where not maintained at 18 months. Community nurses are facilitators in improving health outcomes and patient's satisfaction in the described primary care setting.