Physical Activity and Psychiatric Hospitalizations among Canadian Adolescents and Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study Utilizing Record Linkage
Date
2022-12-14
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Abstract
Background: Overwhelming evidence suggests that physical activity in adolescence promotes mental health and prevents mental illness; however, fewer studies have examined these effects in young adults. Furthermore, there is a paucity of research exploring the relationship between physical activity and utilization of mental health services. This study aimed to address these gaps and provide meaningful information for the promotion of physical activity in Canada.Objective: To utilize nationally linked datasets and explore the longitudinal associations between physical activity among Canadian adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 12-24 years) and incidence of psychiatric hospitalizations.Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS; 2001-2014) linked to the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD; 1999-2018). Physical activity was measured among AYAs from the CCHS, and psychiatric hospitalizations were identified in the DAD. Negative binomial regression analyses were performed on each CCHS cycle to obtain incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for psychiatric hospitalizations by level of physical activity, which were subsequently meta-analyzed to obtain pooled estimates.Results: In total, 96,100 participants were recruited across eleven survey cycles. Adolescents were more physically active (52%) compared to young adults (39%). The incidence rate of psychiatric hospitalizations was 1.10 per 100,000 person-days in the 2001 cycle and 1.46 in the 2014 cycle. The most common reason for a psychiatric hospitalization was for mood or anxiety disorders (38%). Crude analyses showed no significant differences between levels of physical activity; however, fully adjusted models found that moderately active (IRR= 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02-1.66; p= 0.01) and inactive (IRR= 1.33; 95% CI: 1.06-1.66; p= 0.01) participants had significantly higher rates of psychiatric hospitalizations compared to active participants. Conclusions: These results suggest that lower levels of physical activity during adolescence and young adulthood may increase rates of subsequent psychiatric hospitalizations. This provides valuable information to policy makers looking to implement mental illness prevention strategies through physical activity and lays the foundation for future studies with similar aims.
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Keywords
Adolescents, young adults, physical activity, psychiatric hospitalizations, mental disorders
Citation
Fahim, M. (2022). Physical Activity and Psychiatric Hospitalizations among Canadian Adolescents and Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study Utilizing Record Linkage (Master thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca .