Physical activity and psychosocial status among Egyptian healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional study

The Egyptian health system faces numerous challenges, including overpopulation, limited resources, and high patient load. Long working hours, inadequate sleep, and exposure to traumatic events further strain health care workers. This study aims to investigate the association between physical activity and psychosocial status of healthcare professionals in Egypt. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Egypt from 20th March to 20th April 2023. An online self-administered survey was used to recruit 647 healthcare professionals. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Psychosocial Index (PSI) were used to measure physical activity and psychosocial status, respectively. Among the 647 participants, 82% were aged 24–30 years, with 49.9% females and 66.5% doctors. Only 41% engaged in physical activity, and among them, only 5.7% exercised more than three times per week. The median work hours per week were 36, and based on the Total Work MET, participants were classified into high (32%), moderate (40%), and low (28%) physical activity levels. Half of the participants experienced highly stressful lives, while only 40% reported good-to-excellent well-being. Physical activity correlated with psychological distress (r = 0.116, p = 0.003) and abnormal illness behaviors (r = 0.081, p = 0.038), while average working hours per week correlated with psychological distress (r = 0.084, p = 0.033) and sleep disturbance (r = 0.14, p < 0.001). In this study, physical activity levels varied among participants, and the majority of participants had a poor psychological status. Additionally, physical activity significantly correlated with psychological distress and abnormal illness behaviors, while average working hours per week correlated with psychological distress and sleep disturbance.