Changes in the Health of Adolescent Athletes: A Comparison of Health Measures Collected Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

CONTEXT: In spring 2020, schools closed to in-person teaching and sports were cancelled to control the transmission of COVID-19. The changes that affected the physical and mental health among young athletes during this time remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To identify changes in the health (mental health, physical activity, and quality of life) of athletes that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Sample recruited via social media. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3243 Wisconsin adolescent athletes (age = 16.2 ± 1.2 years, 58% female) were surveyed in May 2020 (During COVID-19). Measures for this cohort were compared with previously reported data for Wisconsin adolescent athletes (n = 5231; age = 15.7 ± 1.2 years, 47% female) collected in 2016 to 2018 (PreCOVID-19). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Demographic information included sex, grade, and sport(s) played. Health assessments included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item to identify depression symptoms, the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale to gauge physical activity, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 to evaluate health-related quality of life. Univariable comparisons of these variables between groups were conducted via t or χ2 tests. Means and 95% CIs for each group were estimated using survey-weighted analysis-of-variance models. RESULTS: Compared with preCOVID-19 participants, a larger proportion of During COVID-19 participants reported moderate to severe levels of depression (9.7% versus 32.9%, P < .001). Scores of the During COVID-19 participants were 50% lower (worse) on the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (mean [95% CI] = 12.2 [11.9, 12.5] versus 24.7 [24.5, 24.9], P < .001) and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 compared with the PreCOVID-19 participants (78.4 [78.0, 78.8] versus 90.9 [90.5, 91.3], P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescent athletes described increased symptoms of depression, decreased physical activity, and decreased quality of life compared with adolescent athletes in previous years.

Mental Health, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life of US Adolescent Athletes During COVID-19-Related School Closures and Sport Cancellations: A Study of 13 000 Athletes.

CONTEXT: In the spring of 2020, US schools closed to in-person teaching and sports were cancelled to control the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is critical to understand the mental and physical health of adolescent athletes during this time. OBJECTIVE: To describe the health of athletes during COVID-19-related school closures and sport cancellations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A national sample recruited via social media. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 13 002 US adolescent athletes (age = 16.3 ± 1.2 years, females = 52.9%, males = 47.0%) completed an anonymous online survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Demographic information collected was sex, grade, sport(s) played, and zip code. Assessments used were the General Anxiety Disorder 7-Item for anxiety, Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item for depression, the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale for physical activity, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 for quality of life. Mental health, physical activity, and health-related quality-of-life variables were compared among sex, grade, sport(s) played, and poverty level using means and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from the survey-weighted analysis of variance. RESULTS: Females reported a higher prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (females = 43.7% versus males = 28.2%). The Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale score was highest (best) for grade 9 (mean = 14.5, 95% CI = 14.0, 15.0) and lowest for grade 11 (mean = 10.9, 95% CI = 10.5, 11.3). The prevalence of depression symptoms was highest in team sport (74.1%) and lowest in individual sport (64.9%) participants. The total Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory score was lowest (worst) for athletes from counties with the highest poverty levels (high: mean = 74.5, 95% CI = 73.7, 75.3; middle: mean = 78.9, 95% CI = 78.0, 79.8; and low: mean = 78.3, 95% CI = 77.4, 79.1). CONCLUSIONS: The health of US adolescents during the COVID-19-related school closures and sport cancellations varied to differing degrees depending on sex, grade level, type of sport participation, and level of poverty. Health policy experts should consider these findings in the future when creating and implementing policies to improve the health of adolescents in the United States.

The Health Of Us Adolescent Athletes During Covid-19 Related School Closures And Sport Cancellations.

CONTEXT: In the spring of 2020, US schools closed to in-person teaching and sports were cancelled to control the transmission of COVID-19. It is critical to understand the mental and physical health of adolescent athletes during this time. OBJECTIVE: Describe the health of athletes during COVID-19 related school closures and sport cancellations. DESIGN: Cross sectional. SETTING: A national sample recruited via social media. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 13,002 US adolescent athletes (age=16.3+1.2 yrs., female=53.1%) completed an anonymous online survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Demographic information included: sex, grade, sports played and zip code. Assessments included the: General Anxiety Disorder-7 Item (GAD-7) for anxiety, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item (PHQ-9) for depression, the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (PFABS) for physical activity, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) for quality of life. Mental health, physical activity and quality of life variables were compared between sex, grade, sports played and poverty level using means and 95%CI from the survey weighted ANOVA. RESULTS: Females reported a higher prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (females=43.7% vs. males=28.2%). The PFABS score (mean [95%CI] was highest (best) for grade 9 (14.5 [14.0,15.0]) and lowest for grade 11 (10.9 [10.5,11.3]. The prevalence of depression symptoms was highest in team sport (74.1%) and lowest for individual sport participants (64.9%). The total PedsQL score was lowest (worst) for athletes from counties with the highest poverty levels (high=74.5[73.7,75.3], middle=78.9[78.0,79.8], low=78.3 [77.4,79.1]). CONCLUSIONS: The health of US adolescents during the COVID-19 related school closures and sport cancellations varied to differing degrees depending on sex, grade level, type of sport participation and level of poverty. Health policy experts should consider these findings when creating and implementing policies to improve the health of adolescents in the US in the future.

Remote concussion history does not affect visually-guided reaching in young adult females.

AIM: We examined the long-term effects of concussions in young adult females on visuomotor behavior during a visually-guided reaching task of various complexities. MATERIALS & METHODS: 20 females with a history of longer than 6 months since a concussion and 20 healthy females quickly and accurately performed a delayed reach to a previously cued target. RESULTS: As both cognitive and motor load increased, task performance decreased for both groups (p < 0.05). However, contrary to our primary hypothesis, no differences in task performance were found between the two experimental groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The young adult females with a remote history of concussion demonstrated no deficits in visuomotor behavior on an attention-mediated reaching task as compared with control participants.