Quarter of adults with long-term health conditions scared to leave home after lockdown, poll claims

Many are concerned about cleanliness of others

Concerns have been raised over funding for national network of refuges (Getty)

One-quarter of adults living with a long-term health condition have admitted they are afraid to leave the house as Covid-19 restrictions are loosened.

Research polling 1,000 UK adults with a long-term health condition found one-fifth had not left their home since the lockdown was first introduced in mid-March, except for emergencies.

More than half felt anxious about restrictions easing and 40 per cent were concerned about the cleanliness of other people.

The poll was commissioned by We Are Undefeatable, a campaign to help people in England who live with a long-term health condition to be as active as they can.

It also emerged two-thirds of people living with a health issue said getting outdoors for physical activity is crucial for their mental health.

Dr Zoe Williams, practising NHS GP and resident doctor on This Morning, said: “It’s no surprise that people living with health conditions have concerns and feel anxious about how safe it is for them to get back to normal life.

“This is to be expected, as we have been told that people with certain health conditions must stay at home and this is especially true for those in the shielding group.”

A further poll of 2,000 adults found 50 per cent of the wider adult population had suffered with anxiety during the lockdown — compared to 55 per cent of those with underlying health conditions.

Yet, they were twice as likely to feel happy about lockdown lifting than those with a health condition.

It was also found that one-quarter of people living with a health condition did not intend to return to communal sport and leisure centres until there is a vaccine or Covid-19 is no longer a threat in the UK.

And despite restrictions easing and allowing for more than one session of outdoor exercise a day, one in 10 adults with a long-term health condition are not exercising at all.

But one-tenth also said the option of being able to join a community or a peer group would help motivate them to be more active, according to the research conducted through OnePoll.

In response, We Are Undefeatable is setting up two virtual teams to bring people with long-term health conditions together, through a shared love of walking, football or dance.

The sessions will be for a range of abilities — from beginners who want to give dance or walking football a try, to those who enjoy dancing around in their homes or kicking a ball with friends, and those who may already be part of a team or group.

England Over-60s Walking Football Manager, Stuart Langworthy, will be coaching the first walking football team specifically for people living with a health condition.

He said: “Whether you are already part of a team but don’t feel comfortable about returning just yet, or you simply want to find a new way to get active with a group of like-minded people, these sessions will be a great way to have fun and keep moving in your own space.

“We hope that the sessions will not only help people stay active and motivated, but also ensure that people don’t feel alone with their condition and can help forge connections with other people who may be feeling the same way.

“We will aim to use social media to build a good team spirit as well as providing activities suitable for each member.

“Walking football has literally changed many people’s lives given them a new lease of life — not just in terms of the physical benefits of playing for an hour or two each week, but also the mental health benefits of being part of a team — having fun.

“Those who have returned recently have commented on how they have missed the banter, which is such an important part of all football — fun, friendship, fitness — that’s what it is all about.”

SWNS