Association between mental health and physical activity levels in people with Parkinson’s disease during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational cross-sectional survey in Brazil

AIMS: (1) To evaluate mental health symptoms in people with Parkinson’s (PwP) in self-isolation, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Brazil; (2) to explore associations between mental health and physical activity levels. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional survey using retrospective data. PwP from the Brazilian territory, both sexes, no age limit, in self-isolation due to COVID-19 pandemic, were invited to complete an online self-administered and validated questionnaire. Demographic data (sex, age, Brazilian state they lived in, levels of education, and household income), days in self-isolation, time of diagnosis, and symptoms that bothered most were reported. Self-reported levels of physical activity and mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, fear, and thoughts of death), before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, were assessed. RESULTS: The participants were 156 individuals with PD (64 ± 11 years), from both sexes (50% women; 50% men), resident in the 5 Brazilian regions. There was a worse on mental health symptoms over the time: anxiety [effect size = − 0.52; 95% CI (− 0.70; − 0.28); p < .001], fear [effect size = − 0.58; 95% CI (− 0.76; − 0.34); p < .001], and thoughts of death [effect size = − 0.43; 95% CI (− 072;-0.02); p = .001]. A lower physical activity level during the pandemic is related to increased probability of thoughts of death [crude OR = 1.84; 95% CI (0.98; 3.46); p = 0.05; adjusted OR = 2.98; 95% CI (− 0.01; 2.19); p = 0.05]. Anxiety, fear and depression were not associated with physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety, fear and thoughts of death worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with the period before COVID-19. Lower physical activity level during the pandemic was related to an increased probability of thoughts of death. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11332-021-00868-y.