The impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on physical activity, life satisfaction, anxiety, stress perception and coping strategies in student-athletes: a comparison between Belarus and Poland - countries with a different approach of anti-pandemic measures

Abstract

Abstract Background Two years and more of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of people around the world and has had a profound impact on the field of sports. This has resulted in decreased physical activity (PA) and changes in mental health. The goal was to assess self-reported physical activity, life satisfaction, perceived stress, choice of coping strategies and their correlation among student athletes from neighboring countries in the context of various anti-pandemic strategies. Methods Standardized questionnaires: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF), The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Mini-COPE) were used to compare the self-assessment of 600 students from the Physical Education and Sports departments of universities in Belarus (n = 333), where restrictions were found to be less stringent than in neighboring Poland (n = 267). Results The minor differences in PA between the two countries indicate that student athletes have adapted fairly quickly and found ways to keep PA at a fairly high level. Nevertheless, higher PA was recorded in the group of student athletes from Belarus. PA levels correlated with life satisfaction, anxiety and stress levels. Female students from Poland reported lower satisfaction with their lives. Their perception of stress was twice as high as that of their Belarusian counterparts. The most common coping strategy in both groups was active coping. The strategies of avoiding the problem and seeking outside support were used to a lesser extent by Polish respondents. Conclusion The level of physical activity, well-being of student athletes, is associated with increased mental health and coping with stress and contributed to the prevention of affective disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it is dependent on the country's anti-pandemic policies.