The relationship between changes in exercise habits and psychosomatic activities in older hypertensive patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

We conducted a one-year follow-up study to determine the temporal change in exercise habits and the related factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in older hypertensive patients. A total of 190 patients were 76.1 ± 5.7 years, and 44.7% (n = 85) were male. One-hundred fifty-one and 138 patients had exercise habits at baseline and a year later, respectively (p = 0.053). We categorized patients based on the change in exercise habits (at baseline/a year later): Group A: +/+ (n = 122); Group B: +/− (n = 29); Group C: −/+ (n = 16); and Group D: −/− (n = 23). In women, the geriatric depression scale and the incidence of falls in a year were higher in group B (n = 18) than (n = 61) in group A. Such a trend was not observed in men. In conclusion, although exercise habit in older hypertensive patients was well-maintained in our survey, reduced physical activity was associated with depression and risk of fall only in women.