Do former elite athletes experience a higher incidence and comorbidity of symptoms of mental health disorders compared to the general population? That is exactly what our latest paper sought to find. What we found in brief …
The 12-month incidence of symptoms of mental health disorders among former elite athletes ranged from 7% for alcohol misuse to 28% for anxiety/depression.
We found that the stressors career dissatisfaction and involuntary retirement put former elite athletes at increased risk for sleep disturbance and disordered eating.
Symptoms of mental health disorders are more frequently reported in the first 15 years after athletic career retirement.
Aim
We established the 12-month incidence and comorbidity of symptoms of mental health disorders (distress, anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance, alcohol misuse, disordered eating) among Dutch former elite athletes and explored the potential relationship with the stressors involuntary retirement, recent life events, career dissatisfaction. A secondary objective was to investigate whether the incidence of symptoms of mental health disorders and their potential relationship with stressors are related to duration since retirement.
Methods
An observational prospective cohort study with a 12-month follow-up was conducted among Dutch former elite athletes. Symptoms of mental health disorders and potential stressors were assessed using validated questionnaires.
Results
A total of 282 participants were included at baseline and 193 completed follow-up. The incidence ranged from 7% for alcohol misuse to 28% for anxiety/depression. Comorbidity of two or three symptoms of mental health disorders was reported in 7% and 4%, respectively. Adverse life events were significantly related to disordered eating (RR = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.05-1.61), while career dissatisfaction also showed a significant relationship with disordered eating (RR = 3.98, 95%CI = 1.32-11.99) and sleep disturbance (RR = 3.23, 95%CI = 1.10-9.51). The stressor involuntary retirement did not have a significant relationship with any symptoms of mental health disorders. The effect of duration since retirement seemed to be most present in the first 15 years since athletic career retirement in the plotted graphs.
Incidence of symptoms of mental health disorders among Dutch former elite athletes at 12-months follow-up plotted against duration since retirement.
Conclusions
The 12-month incidence of symptoms of mental health disorders ranged from 7% to 28% and comorbidity of symptoms of mental health disorders was present in 12%. Adverse life events and career dissatisfaction only increased the risk of certain symptoms of mental health disorders. Duration since retirement might affect the incidence of symptoms of mental health disorders and its relationship with stressors in the first 15 years.
The full manuscript can be accessed here (paywall)
E. Oltmans, K. Confectioner, R. Jonkers, G. Kerkhoffs, M. Moen, E. Verhagen, P. Wylleman, V. Gouttebarge. A 12-month prospective cohort study on symptoms of mental health disorders among Dutch former elite athletes. Phys Sportsmed 2020. DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2020.1868276.