COVID-19 changes the lifestyle of the population and subtly reduces the incidence of metabolic disease

Changes in Otorhinolaryngologic Disease Incidences before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea

This study aimed to investigate the change in the incidence and variance of otorhinolaryngologic diseases during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The entire Korean population (~50 million) was evaluated for the monthly incidence of 11 common otorhinolaryngologic diseases of upper respiratory infection (URI), influenza, acute tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess, acute laryngitis and bronchitis, stomatitis and related lesions, acute sinusitis, rhinitis, otitis media, and dizziness from January 2018 through March 2021 using the International Classification of Disease (ICD)-10 codes with the data of the Korea National Health Insurance Service. The differences in the mean incidence of 11 common otorhinolaryngologic diseases before and during COVID-19 were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. The differences in the variance of incidence before and during COVID-19 were compared using Levene's test. The incidence of all 11 otorhinolaryngologic diseases was lower during COVID-19 than before COVID-19 (all p < 0.05). The variations in disease incidence by season were lower during COVID-19 than before COVID-19 for infectious diseases, including URI, influenza, acute tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess, acute laryngitis and bronchitis, acute sinusitis, and otitis media (all p < 0.05), while it was not in noninfectious diseases, including stomatitis, rhinitis, and dizziness. As expected, the incidences of all otorhinolalryngolgic diseases were decreased. Additionally, we found that seasonal variations in infectious diseases disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic, while noninfectious diseases did not.

Assessment of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Pro-Health Behavior of Poles

The SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic has exerted enormous impacts on individuals’ lifestyle, economics and social life. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-promoting behaviors of a sample of the Polish population, including dietary supplementation, physical activity, eating habits, and the implementation of preventive vaccinations. Within the scope of a survey, data was collected from 1101 adult respondents residing in Poland (862 women and 239 men). An anonymous questionnaire prepared based on the scientific literature was used as a research tool. The survey was conducted during the second wave of COVID-19 using the CAWI (Computer—Assisted Web Interview) method by disseminating the questionnaire using selected social media. We found that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the respondents were more likely to maintain healthy eating habits and use dietary supplementation; however, the majority engaged in physical activity less frequently and had a sedentary lifestyle. Most felt no need to undergo preventive influenza vaccinations. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the health awareness of the analyzed group from the Polish population. However, the obtained results are not fully satisfactory; therefore, there is a need to promote a healthy lifestyle and pro-health behaviors as part of social campaigns.