Literature Review 4

Citation:

Houston, Megan N et al. “Health-Related Quality of Life in Athletes: A Systematic Review With

Meta-Analysis.” Journal of athletic training vol. 51,6 (2016): 442-53. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-51.7.03

Summary:        

            Participation in both, interscholastic and intercollegiate sports, is on the rise. When anyone experiences an injury, doctors assess the patient’s strength and range of motion, but not so much the psychological effects of the injury. Sports medicine and orthopedic organizations press the importance to incorporate patient-based assessments to take note of the patient’s experiences. The outcome of these patient-reported outcomes (PRO) focus on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL). HRQOLs take into account the social, physical, and psychological health components of patients. The article brings together the research findings of the authors’ searches for studies on college and adolescent athletes taking HRQOLs into account. The study in the article works to answer, “Does HRQOL differ among adolescent and collegiate athletes and non-athletes?” and “Does HRQOL differ between injured adolescent and collegiate athletes or between athletes with a history of injury and uninjured athletes or those without a history of injury?”

            To answer question 1, according to the findings, college and adolescent athletes reported better overall HRQOL scores than non-athletes in the same age groups, but the difference in the scores was not too significant, signaling an overall weak effect. The findings for question 1 suggest that involvement in athletics most likely benefit the overall health status, but needs additional evidence to be proved. Non-athletes report better HRQOL scores relating to physical well-being, while athletes report better on mental and emotional well-being. The authors believe that athletes possibly perceive the physical components differently than non-athletes due to the repetitive and demanding use of athlete bodies.

Visiting question 2, evidence showed that uninjured college athletes and athletes without history of injury reported higher HRQOL scores than injured athletes. The level of severity of the athlete’s injury was not considered when the studies for question 2 were conducted. According to the studies following adolescent athletes, injuries affected the physical components of the HRQOL more than the mental components.

In conclusion, the authors were able to find 8 studies that compared HRQOL results of athletes and non-athletes, as well as injured and uninjured athletes. It is difficult to not meaningful differences in patient results, because baseline values were not established prior to injury. The authors recommend gathering normative values from relevant populations to the patient. It is best for doctors to develop and use more region-specific and dimension-specific assessments rather than generic assessments. There are important differences within groups that investigators should look into in the future.

Authors:

Dr. Meagan N. Houston is a psychologist. She specializes in suicide treatment within diverse settings and populations. She treats patients with a variety of psychological and behavioral disorders. Dr. Matt Hoch works for the University of Kentucky, as a faculty member in the Athletic Training Program. He has a Ph.D. in rehabilitation sciences. His research focuses on reducing long-term consequences of injuries, enhancing patient care, and mitigating sensorimotor complications. Dr. Johanna Hoch is an assistant professor at University of Kentucky in the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition and the director of the Professional Masters in Athletic Training Program. Her research also focuses on improving patient cared and improving health related quality of life for individuals with a history of musculoskeletal injuries

Key Terms:

Athletic Injuries

History of Injury

Patient Centered Care

Quotes:

“Injury can cause a range of physical and psychological detriments, which predominantly examined using clinician-based assessments such as rang of motion and strength. However, these assessments do not provide insight into the patient’s perception of his or her health status, nor do they always correlate with overall health status,” (442).

“The positive ESs imply that involvement in athletics may benefit overall health status,” (447).

“We believe that athletes may perceive the physical components of HRQOL, such as bodily pain and basic mobility, differently than nonathletes due to the demanding movement patterns required in sports, potentially restrictive equipment, and the physical effects of sports on the body (eg, delayed-onset muscle soreness, sport-related injury)” (449).

Value:

            This article shows that athletes typically have better mental health when assessing their quality of life. Even though athletes scored lower HRQOLs on physical health, the authors point out that the low scores could be due to muscles soreness or current injuries an athlete is experiencing. Athletes clearly gain some benefits from their increased physical activity levels. In addition to showing a possible way an athlete can benefit from working hard, the article points out that doctor’s must start focusing more on quality of life from injuries, rather than just strength and range of motion. Yes, healing from an injury is important, but injuries can have effects on mental health and effect patients in ways that tradition patient assessments may not pick up on. This article sheds light on the importance of all aspects of life of an athlete, not just physical fitness.