{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T06:36:21Z","timestamp":1789194981757,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,10]],"date-time":"2024-06-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1717977600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000245","name":"Michael Smith Health Research BC","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["18299"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["18299"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000245","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100012161","name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["5728"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["5728"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100012161","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Violet B. Arnott Memorial Fund"},{"name":"Florence & George Heighway Endowment Fund"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100011052","name":"Federal State Budget Scientific Institution Research Institute - Republican Research and Consulting Center of Expertise","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100011052","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Public health interventions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate anxiety symptoms for many. We conducted this study to better understand the role of leisure activity in promoting mental wellness during times of social isolation and reduced access to recreation facilities and mental health support services. We analyzed nationally representative survey data collected by Statistics Canada as part of the Canadian Perspectives Survey Series (CPSS) during May 4\u201310 (CPSS 2) and July 20 to 26, 2020 (CPSS 4). Data related to leisure activity and anxiety symptoms as measured by a score of more than 10 on the General Anxiety Disorder scale were examined using descriptive and log-binomial regression analyses. Survey sampling weights were applied in all analyses, and regression results were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. Exercise and communication with friends and loved ones were the most frequently reported leisure activity. Prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms reported by participants was lower in CPSS 4 compared to CPSS 2. Results of adjusted log-binomial regression analyses revealed lower prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms in those who engaged in exercise and communication, while those who meditated exhibited higher prevalence. In conclusion, leisure activities, such as exercise and communication with loved ones, can promote mental wellness. Future research should clarify the role of meditation for mental wellness promotion during periods of social isolation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0303585","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,10]],"date-time":"2024-06-10T17:29:51Z","timestamp":1718040591000},"page":"e0303585","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Easing anxiety symptoms through leisure activities during social isolation: Findings from nationally representative samples"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8341-9194","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Queena","family":"Cheong","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Arminee","family":"Kazanjian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3710-5773","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Joseph H.","family":"Puyat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,10]]},"reference":[{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0303585.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e33231","DOI":"10.2196\/33231","article-title":"Predictive modeling of vaccination uptake in U.S. counties: A machine learning-based approach","volume":"23","author":"Q Cheong","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0303585.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1151","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(20)30457-6","article-title":"Effectiveness of isolation, testing, contact tracing, and physical distancing on reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in different settings: a mathematical modelling study","volume":"20","author":"AJ Kucharski","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"pone.0303585.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101091","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ehb.2021.101091","article-title":"Effectiveness of social distancing interventions in containing COVID-19 incidence: international evidence using Kalman filter.","volume":"44","author":"N Prakash","year":"2022","journal-title":"Econ Hum Biol."},{"key":"pone.0303585.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113003","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113003","article-title":"Addressing collegiate mental health amid COVID-19 pandemic.","volume":"288","author":"Y Zhai","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res.Jun"},{"key":"pone.0303585.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100167","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadr.2021.100167","article-title":"A cross-sectional survey of activities to support mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"5","author":"A Gupta","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Affect Disord Rep"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0303585.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0277238","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0277238","article-title":"Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.","volume":"17","author":"R Pongou","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS One."},{"key":"pone.0303585.ref007","article-title":"Mental health and substance use during COVID-19 [Internet].","author":"The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health","year":"2021","journal-title":"The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health"},{"key":"pone.0303585.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596","volume-title":"Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5","author":"American Psychiatric Association","year":"2013","edition":"5"},{"key":"pone.0303585.ref009","article-title":"Canadians\u2019 mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic","author":"Statistics Canada","year":"2020","journal-title":"Internet]. 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