Busch Aglaja, Kubosch Eva Johanna, Bendau Antonia, Leonhart Rainer, Meidl Verena, Bretthauer Berit, Petzold Moritz Bruno, Dallmann Petra, Wrobel Nina, Plag Jens, Ströhle Andreas, Hirschmüller Anja
Outpatient Clinic, Sport Medicine and Sports Orthopedics, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
Division Physiotherapy, Department of Health Professions, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland.
Front Sports Act Living. 2022 Apr 14;4:870692. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.870692. eCollection 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic has huge influences on daily life and is not only associated with physical but also with major psychological impacts. Mental health problems and disorders are frequently present in elite paralympic athletes. Due to the pandemic situation, new stressors (e.g., loss of routine, financial insecurity) might act upon the athletes. Therefore, the assessment of mental health in athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic is important to identify prevalence of psychological problems and propose countermeasures.
The mental health of German paralympic athletes was longitudinally monitored (starting in May 2019). The athletes completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4) on a weekly basis and reported a stress level, training hours, and training load. During the pandemic, 8 measurement time points (March 2020 to April 2021) were used to reflect the psychological health course of the athletes. In parallel, a convenience sample of the general population was questioned about their psychological distress, including the PHQ-4. To be included in the analysis, participants of both groups had to complete at least 4 measurement time points. Matching of the para-athletes and the general population sample was prioritized upon completion of the same measurement time points, gender, and age.
Seventy-eight paralympic athletes (40 women, 38 men, age: 29.8 ± 11.4 years) met the inclusion criteria. Seventy-eight matched pairs of the general population (40 women; 38 men; age: 30.5 ± 10.9 years) were identified. The para-athletes had a significantly ( <0.0001; 0.39 < <0.48) lower PHQ-4 value at each measurement time point compared to the matched control group. No significant age or sex differences were evident regarding the symptom burden. In para-athletes, no significant and a weak positive correlation was found between decreased training load and PHQ-4 values and a stress level, respectively. Reduced physical activity was significantly ( <0.0001) associated with higher PHQ-4 values in the general population sample.
Lower PHQ-4 values were reported by the para-athletes compared to the general population sample. However, small sample sizes must be considered while interpreting the data. Nevertheless, adequate support for individuals suffering from severe psychopathological symptoms should be provided for para-athletes as well as for the general population.
新冠疫情对日常生活产生了巨大影响，不仅涉及身体方面，还带来了重大的心理冲击。心理健康问题和障碍在精英残奥会运动员中屡见不鲜。由于疫情形势，新的压力源（如日常规律被打乱、经济不稳定）可能会作用于这些运动员。因此，在新冠疫情期间评估运动员的心理健康对于确定心理问题的患病率并提出应对措施至关重要。
对德国残奥会运动员的心理健康进行纵向监测（从2019年5月开始）。运动员每周完成患者健康问卷4（PHQ - 4），并报告压力水平、训练时长和训练负荷。在疫情期间，使用8个测量时间点（2020年3月至2021年4月）来反映运动员的心理健康历程。同时，对普通人群的一个便利样本询问其心理困扰情况，包括PHQ - 4。为纳入分析，两组参与者都必须至少完成4个测量时间点。在完成相同测量时间点、性别和年龄后，优先对残奥会运动员和普通人群样本进行匹配。
78名残奥会运动员（40名女性，38名男性，年龄：29.8±11.4岁）符合纳入标准。确定了78对匹配的普通人群（40名女性；38名男性；年龄：30.5±10.9岁）。与匹配的对照组相比，残奥会运动员在每个测量时间点的PHQ - 4值显著更低（<0.0001；0.39<<0.48）。在症状负担方面，未发现明显的年龄或性别差异。在残奥会运动员中，训练负荷降低与PHQ - 4值以及压力水平之间分别未发现显著的和微弱的正相关。在普通人群样本中，身体活动减少与更高的PHQ - 4值显著相关（<0.0001）。
与普通人群样本相比，残奥会运动员报告的PHQ - 4值更低。然而，在解释数据时必须考虑样本量较小的情况。尽管如此，对于患有严重精神病理症状的个体，应为残奥会运动员以及普通人群提供充分的支持。
