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Dr. Damaris Ochanda explaining a point during a plenary session
There has been limited physical activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to anxiety, depression, poor or irregular sleeping patterns and poor dieting resulting in weight gain. According to the PI, Prof. Bukhala, this study sought to observe how households were coping with the ‘new normal,’ adding that physical activity is the easiest way to improve health status especially at this time of the pandemic. The other members of the research team were Dr. Damaris Ochanda, Dr. Donald Kokonya and Mr. John Arudo.
“Not being able to participate in regular activities outside their homes appears to have had a significant negative effect on respondents’ mental health,” said Co-PI, Mr. John Arudo. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults aged 18-64 years to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity or an equivalent combination of them per week. This study therefore recommended walking, stretching, doing house-work, climbing stairs or dancing as some of the home-based physical activities to reduce anxiety as well as to increase positive mental health.
The University is best placed to work better with the community if they equip them to become frontline workers for the government. The trained volunteers were urged to stay in the project to the end and many of them expressed gratitude at having been selected to participate.
“I used to wonder how long I will remain at the village level; I now see volunteering enabling me to help my community during this difficult time of COVID 19,” said one of the volunteers.
The Trainer of Trainers workshop involved mobilization skills as part of the research. During the baseline CHV’s had been identified. The researchers will be working with 12 Areas with the highest level of depression and anxiety. The findings revealed that Navakholo had the highest prevalence of depression.
