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Hendricks S, Amino N, van Wyk JP, Gouttenbarge V, Mellalieu S, Schlebusch R. Inside edge - prevalence and factors associated with symptoms of anxiety/depression in professional cricketers. Res Sports Med 2024; 32:524-536. [PMID: 36284499 DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2022.2139619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to i) determine the prevalence of anxiety/depression symptoms in professional cricketers and ii) identify factors associated with symptoms of anxiety/depression. One-hundred and seventy-seven (n = 177, response rate of 76%) professional cricketers completed the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12). Odd ratios (OR) for anxiety/depression symptoms were related to players' career, family and education. Prevalence of symptoms of anxiety/depression was 59% (n = 104/177). Anxiety/depression symptoms increased when players were contracted for more than 2 years (OR: 5.0; 95% CI: 1.2-21.3; p = 0.028) and if they played their last offseason overseas (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.3-9.6; p = 0.013). Anxiety/depression symptoms decreased by 70% when players made "productive use" of their time in the offseason (OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-0.9; p = 0.036) and contracted for 2 years (OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-1.0; p = 0.049). These findings can be incorporated into cricket mental health literacy programmes to improve awareness and understanding, and to encourage early help-seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharief Hendricks
- Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS) Research Centre, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | - Nur Amino
- Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - J P van Wyk
- South African Cricketers' Association, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Vincent Gouttenbarge
- Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Collaboration on Health & Safety in Sports (ACHSS), IOC Research Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Section Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Stephen Mellalieu
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Ruan Schlebusch
- South African Cricketers' Association, Cape Town, South Africa
- Sportsthink 360, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa
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Smith A, Buadze A, Colangelo J, Liebrenz M. A Review of Mental Health Issues in High-Performance and Elite-Level Cycling. Int J Sports Med 2023; 44:1034-1042. [PMID: 37524113 DOI: 10.1055/a-2145-6355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Despite the public health benefits of cycling in the general population, mental health issues may be evident in high-performance and elite-level competitive domains. With prominent riders disclosing their experiences with psychiatric symptoms, distinctive socioenvironmental factors could exacerbate psychopathological vulnerabilities. This suggests a need for greater mental health awareness amongst stakeholders, supplemented by actions from international and national federations and regulators. To synthesise relevant observations about psychiatric concerns in high-performance and elite-level cycling, we conducted a keyword search of articles in APA PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus based on specified exclusion criteria. Thirteen papers were identified that examined mental health issues in high-performance and/or elite-level cycling per classifications from the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A large proportion of articles illustrated eating disorder symptomatology, but others discussed attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, sleep wake disorders, and substance use disorder. Existing literature underlines important considerations for all stakeholders within the cycling community around mental health initiatives and care provisions, which are currently lacking across the sport. Such programmes could incorporate consensus statements, psychiatric screening, psychoeducation, stigma-reducing policies, and athlete advocacy. These can help mitigate socioenvironmental risk factors and prioritise athlete wellbeing over performance-centred motivations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Smith
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ana Buadze
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jill Colangelo
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael Liebrenz
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Luies N, Orchard JJ, Driscoll T, Sahdra SK, Cheng J, Davis AJ, Orchard JW. Sheffield Shield Cricketers Live Longer than the Age-Matched General Australian Male Population. Indian J Orthop 2023; 57:1613-1618. [PMID: 37766955 PMCID: PMC10519889 DOI: 10.1007/s43465-023-00925-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Background/objectives Previous studies have shown a trend that elite athletes tend to live longer than the general population, which has been attributed to the "healthy worker hire effect" and the health benefits of exercise. There have not been any previous studies looking at survival of elite cricketers with the general population as a reference cohort. This study aimed to compare the annual mortality rates of current and retired elite male Australian cricket players to that of the age-matched general Australian male population. Methods Analysis of publicly accessible dates of birth, death, and cricket debut data for male Australian Sheffield Shield cricket players who played before 2022 and had not died before 1971. Included persons were Sheffield Shield players who lived primarily in Australia during and after their cricket careers. Death rates from 1971 to 2021 (inclusive) were compared to the general Australian male population. Results 1824 Sheffield Shield players had not died prior to 1971 (798 had played before the 1971 season, 1026 debuting subsequently). There were 586 deaths in the 51 years of observations, compared to 825 expected deaths, giving a Standardized Mortality Ratio of 0.71 (95% CI 0.63-0.80). Conclusion Elite Australian male Sheffield Shield cricket players outlive the general male population with lower death rates. This is probably due to a combination of the healthy worker hire effect and the health benefits of exercise. This study provides evidence that in terms of longevity, it is safe to play elite-level cricket in Australia. Graphical Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Luies
- Perth Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Centre, 31 Outram St, West Perth, WA 6005 Australia
| | - Jessica J. Orchard
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Fisher Road, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Tim Driscoll
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Fisher Road, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Saaz Kaur Sahdra
- School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Building J12, I Cleveland Street, Darlington, NSW 2008 Australia
| | - Jonathan Cheng
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Burnside Drive, Warwick Farm, NSW 2170 Australia
| | - Angus J. Davis
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Fisher Road, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - John W. Orchard
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Fisher Road, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
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Malele L, Noorbhai H. Prevalence and associated factors with mental health symptoms among semi-professional cricket players after the resumption of sporting activities following an extensive lockdown. SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE 2023; 35:v35i1a15058. [PMID: 38249760 PMCID: PMC10798613 DOI: 10.17159/2078-516x/2023/v35i1a15058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Mental health of cricket players has been a topic of debate for a considerable time across the globe. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of mental health symptoms among semi-professional male cricket players experienced during COVID-19, as well as the relationship between age and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) sub-scale. Methods Mental health symptoms were assessed among cricket players (n = 90) using the following instruments, respectively: Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale - 21 (DASS - 21); Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Descriptive (means ± standard deviations) and inferential (Spearman's correlations) statistics were calculated using SPSS (IBM Version 27.0) at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results The study reported that 5.6% (n = 5) of cricketers believed life was futile, and 10% (n = 9) thought they were useless most of the time. However, on the anxiety sub-scale, 27% (n = 24) of cricketers indicated low confidence. In addition, 23% (n = 21) of cricketers reported being stressed. Spearman's correlations revealed a positive and significant association between the DASS-21 sub-scales and that cricketers' DASS-21 sub-scale symptoms are unrelated to age. Conclusion The study found that there were moderate levels of anxiety, a reduced sense of achievement and a neutral feeling towards satisfaction with life. Reducing mental health symptoms would extend the playing careers of cricket players. De-stigmatising mental health may result in more robust and accurate self-reports of mental health illness among elite athletes, which can enable sustainable change.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Malele
- Department of Sport and Movement Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - H Noorbhai
- Department of Sport and Movement Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
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King L, Cullen SJ, McGoldrick A, Pugh J, Warrington G, Woods G, Losty C. Mental health difficulties among professional jockeys: a narrative review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2021; 7:e001078. [PMID: 33959380 PMCID: PMC8057557 DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emerging academic literature and high-profile disclosures of mental health difficulties and mental illness from current and former professional jockeys suggest that further exploration of the mental health of jockeys is required. To date, a comprehensive review of jockeys’ mental health has yet to be conducted. Objectives To examine the existing literature related to jockeys’ mental health, including the prevalence of symptoms associated with mental health difficulties and help-seeking. Design A narrative review of the literature was conducted with articles screened from inception until January 2021. Results Sixteen studies were included in the narrative review. Studies covered a range of mental health difficulties which included mood (depression), anxiety, distress, disordered eating and substance misuse. Rates of help-seeking among jockeys were also explored. Results indicated that jockeys reported higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms compared with other elite athletes. Substance misuse, in particular adverse alcohol use, also appears greater among jockeys than other elite athletes. Distress symptoms appear comparable with other elite athletes. Risk factors for mental health difficulties included injury, perceived stress, athlete burnout, career dissatisfaction and the contemplation of retirement. Weight-making negatively impacts jockeys’ mood and attitudes towards eating, with lower competitive riding weights associated with more disordered eating attitudes. Moreover, help-seeking from mental health professionals appears low. Conclusion The review identifies a high prevalence of symptoms of mental health difficulties among professional jockeys. Applied recommendations and future research considerations are proposed throughout the review article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis King
- Sport and Exercise Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | - Sarah Jane Cullen
- Sport and Exercise Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | | | - Jennifer Pugh
- Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Giles Warrington
- Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Gary Woods
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Ciara Losty
- Sport and Exercise Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
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