Changes in the daily lives and mental health of people with disabilities due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have not been reported. The Japanese government closed public facilities, including swimming pools, during the first wave of COVID-19, and many competitive swimmers lost their places of activities. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on life space and apathy among swimmers and investigated differences in the impact on swimmers with and without disabilities. A total of 39 competitive swimmers participated in this study, including 11 male and nine female swimmers with disabilities (swimmers with disabilities = para-swimmers), and e11 male and eight female swimmers without disabilities. Baseline and follow-up web-based questionnaire surveys were conducted, and changes in life space and apathy scale (AS) were assessed. Female para-swimmers showed significantly lower apathy than female able-bodied subjects (para, during; 16.0 ± 1.9; after, 12.8 ± 3.2; non-disabled; during, 10.5 ± 4.4; after, 10.6 ± 4.8; p < 0.05). Female swimmers with disabilities may be more likely to experience worsening mental health due to changes in their lifestyle.
【저자키워드】 mental health, the coronavirus disease COVID-19, female athlete, physical impairment, para-sport, swimmer, life space, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic, male, female, Follow-up, Japanese, First wave, change, questionnaire, Government, subject, worsening, activities, significantly lower, reported, investigated, conducted, nine, eight, changes in, participated, were assessed, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, Impact, disability, Japanese, life, Space,