Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life among para-footballers with brain impairment

Abstract

People with disabilities might be at a higher risk of suffering from the psychosocial impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on quality of life (QoL), due to isolation and social restrictions. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of confinement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the QoL of Chilean para-footballers with brain impairment. Forty male football players with brain impairment participated in this study. All participants completed the WHOQOL-BREF QoL questionnaire at two different moments (before and during confinement). A significant reduction in the perception of QoL was found between the different periods. Moreover, the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains presented lower scores during the pandemic. These results suggest that the impact of confinement reduced the perception of QoL in all domains. Differentiated strategies with multidisciplinary professional support are necessary for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic’s psychosocial consequences on para-footballers with brain impairments.