Features of the efficiency indicators of children’s health improvement in stationary recreation and health promotion organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction. Rehabilitation of children in stationary suburban recreation and health improvement organizations (camps) is one of the priority directions for children’s health care and social policy of the state. The introduced total self-isolation regimen in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to distance education made significant adjustments to the prevailing stereotypes of the daily routine and behavior of children, led to a reduction in the time spent in the open air, a decrease in their physical activity.

Aim of the research. Comparative evaluation of the efficiency indicators of children’s health improvement in the pandemic (2020) and non-epidemic (2018–2019) periods in children’s summer stationary suburban camps for recreation and health promotion.

Materials and methods. The study was carried out as a part of the pilot project implementation “Evaluation of the Health Improvement Efficiency” (2018–2020) on the territory of 15 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The information was collected and analyzed using the software “Evaluation of the Organization of Children’s Health Improvement in Stationary Suburban Recreation and Health Promotion Camps”, developed by the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene of Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Novosibirsk). The object of the study was children aged 7–17 years (n = 85 666) who had a rest in 134 stationary recreation and health improvement camps in the summer of 2018–2020. To determine the efficiency of recuperation, such indicators as the length and weight of the body, lung capacity, hand strength and their dynamics were assessed during the period of the health improving shift. Evaluation of the results was carried out in accordance with 2.4.4.0127-18 “Methodology for Evaluating the Efficiency of Health Improvement in Stationary Organizations for Recreation and Health Promotion of Children” guidelines. 

Results. It was revealed a decrease in the proportion of children with a high efficiency of health improvement in 2020 in comparison with 2018–2019 due to the lack of positive dynamics of hand strength and vital capacity of the lungs indicators, as well as negative dynamics of body mass index.

Conclusion. The lower indicators of the efficiency of children’s health improvement are due to a considerable decrease in physical activity and the time spent in the open air in the period preceding the summer health-improving season of 2020.

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