Assessment of Lifestyle Changes among Patients with COVID-19 in Sulaimani City/Iraq

Abstract

Background: COVID19 cause changes in life style of people eg: (eating habits, stress, irritability, physical activity and sleep pattern). So, the aim of this study to assess life style before and during COVID19 virus then compared life style changes between pre and during COVID19 virus. Methodology: This is a cross sectional (descriptive) study, conducted in Ali Naji Clinic Center in Sulaimani City between April.25th,2021 and August.20th,2021. Which include 358 persons that affected with COVID19 virus previously and become healthy at least 2 weeks after the infection. Results: The mean age was (32± 1.12) years, (39.4%) of participants were aged between (29-39) years, more than half of participants female, married, completed high degree of education and governmental employment. (35.4%) of participants had Blood group O. (55.3%) of participants complain from decreased their weight during infection period. Before the coronavirus infection (60.3%) of participants consumed 3-4 meals per day, while during pandemic period; (74.6%) of participants were consumed 1-2 meals per day with (p= 0.02). During pandemic period, the percentage of drinking water increase to drinking ≥8 cups of water (p<0.001). in addition to increased healthy food consumption and decreased consumption of (meat/fish/chicken, bread/rice/pasta, sweets/dessert, salty snacks, coffee/tea and sweetened drinks) compared to pre corona virus infection (p<0.001). Most of the participants had low activity during COVID-19 infection (81.8%) (p= 0.001). Conclusion: COVID19 infection affected on number of meals and food intake negatively. Also, it caused decrease all the types of physical activity. In addition to disturbance in sleep pattern. Key words: COVID19 pandemic, life style changes, descriptive study.