In:
The American Journal of Sports Medicine, SAGE Publications, Vol. 47, No. 12 ( 2019-10), p. 2871-2880
Abstract:
Former American football players have a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment than that of the US general population. It remains unknown what aspects of playing football are associated with neuropsychiatric outcomes. Hypothesis: It was hypothesized that seasons of professional football, playing position, and experience of concussions were associated with cognition-related quality of life (QOL) and indicators of depression and anxiety. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: The authors examined whether seasons of professional football, playing position, and experience of concussions, as measured by self-report of 10 symptoms, were associated with cognition-related QOL and indicators of depression and anxiety in a cross-sectional survey conducted 2015 to 2017. Cognition-related QOL was measured by the short form of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders: Applied Cognition–General Concerns. The Patient Health Questionnaire–4 measured depression and anxiety symptoms. Of 13,720 eligible men with apparently valid contact information, 3506 players returned a questionnaire at the time of this analysis (response rate = 25.6%). Results: Seasons of professional play (risk ratio [RR] per 5 seasons = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.06-1.34) and playing position were associated with cognition-related QOL. Each 5 seasons of play was associated with 9% increased risk of indicators of depression at borderline statistical significance ( P = .05). When compared with former kickers, punters, and quarterbacks, men who played any other position had a higher risk of poor cognition-related QOL, depression, and anxiety. Concussion symptoms were strongly associated with poor cognition-related QOL (highest concussion quartile, RR = 22.3, P 〈 .001), depression (highest quartile, RR = 6.0, P 〈 .0001), and anxiety (highest quartile, RR = 6.4, P 〈 .0001), even 20 years after last professional play. Conclusion: The data suggest that seasons of play and playing position in the NFL are associated with lasting neuropsychiatric health deficits. Additionally, poor cognition-related QOL, depression, and anxiety appear to be associated with concussion in the long term.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0363-5465
,
1552-3365
DOI:
10.1177/0363546519868989
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2019
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2063945-4
SSG:
31
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