Safety perception of gym attenders: A post 3rd covid-19 infection peak

Abstract

In 2020, the COVID-19 virus arrived in Brazil and reached a large part of the national territory. Among the security measures to prevent the spread, non-essential businesses were closed, such as gyms. However, it is suggested that the practice of physical exercise can help prevent COVID-19. This study aimed to analyze the safety perception of individuals who goes to climatized gyms in the city of Manaus regarding the contagion of COVID-19 in these environments. A self-applied questionnaire was elaborated addressing psychosocial, health and behavioral aspects. Descriptive analyses were adopted to categorical and numerical variables. The association was tested by applying Pearson's Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Significance was set at 5%. For 151 respondents, the perception of occupying space, satisfaction with the gym, fear of dying, self-perception of health and having a non-transmissible chronic disease were determining variables to present a greater or lesser perception of safety (p < 0.05 for all variables). Although the gyms comply with the recommendations of regulatory bodies, personal aspects influenced more the perception of safety when attending air-conditioned gyms in Manaus.