
@article{ref1,
title="Epidemiology of mental health conditions in incoming Division I collegiate athletes",
journal="Physician and sportsmedicine",
year="2018",
author="Sarac, Nikolas and Sarac, Benjamin and Pedroza, Angela and Borchers, James R.",
volume="46",
number="2",
pages="242-248",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to examine the epidemiology of mental health conditions in incoming American Division I collegiate athletes. <br><br>METHODS: Pre-participation physical questionnaires from 1118 incoming student athletes at a Division I Institution were collected retrospectively from 2011-2017. Data collected included lifetime history of any mental health condition, musculoskeletal injuries, concussions, and post-concussion depression. History of any mental health condition was evaluated by gender and sport played. It was also evaluated in comparison to musculoskeletal injuries and concussions. <br><br>RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of any mental health condition was 14.0% for all athletes, 14.2% for male athletes, and 13.6% for female athletes. Individual sports reported a greater prevalence (17.2%) than did team sports (11.8%) (p=0.010). The prevalence was also higher in contact sports (16.4%) than in non-contact sports (12.5%), although this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.072). There was a significant association between mental health condition and all four major groups of injuries examined: upper extremity (p=0.043), lower extremity (p=0.007), axial skeletal (p<0.001), and concussions (p=0.039). Post-concussion depression occurred in 2.0% of all athletes reporting a concussion. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The lifetime prevalence of mental health conditions in this population (14.0%) is far less than estimates in the general population. This observation may be due to a combination of factors including exercise/athletic participation mitigating depressive symptoms, competitive selection, and underreporting. History of a mental health condition may be associated with injury, although causation cannot be determined.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0091-3847",
doi="10.1080/00913847.2018.1427412",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2018.1427412"
}