Introduction

Younger age of first exposure (AFE) to American Football (football) is associated with later-life health problems among former professional athletes in several studies; however, studies examining amateur (i.e., nonprofessional) athletes are less clear.

Objective

In a cohort of former amateur American Football players, this study assessed whether AFE to football was associated with: (1) psychiatric and neurobehavioral symptoms, (2) cognitive difficulties, (3) general health problems, (4) motor symptoms, and (5) functional status.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey study was conducted using the ResearchMatch platform. The key independent variable was age of first exposure to football (AFE < 12 versus AFE ≥ 12). Main outcomes included depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7; GAD-7), cognitive difficulties (British Columbia Cognitive Complaints Inventory; BC-CCI), Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) score, and prevalence of other health problems. Multivariable regressions were assessed for associations between AFE and outcome variables.

Results

In total, 107 male participants with exposure to football (mean age: 60.6 ± 15.1 years) reported an average of 4.2 ± 2.7 years of exposure to football, with an average AFE of 11.7 ± 3.1 years. In multivariable analyses, AFE < 12 was not a significant predictor of PHQ-9 (unstandardized beta, B: 0.51, standard error, SE: 1.25, p = 0.682), GAD-7 (B: 0.09, SE: 0.95, p = 0.926), NSI (B: − 0.56, SE: 2.93, p = 0.850), or BC-CCI (B: − 0.65, SE: 0.77, p = 0.403). However, more prior concussions were associated with worse PHQ-9 (B: 0.44, SE: 0.10, p < 0.001), GAD-7 (B: 0.33, SE: 0.07, p < 0.001), NSI (B: 1.04, SE: 0.23, p < 0.001), and BC-CCI scores (B: 0.26, SE: 0.06, p < 0.001). AFE < 12 did not predict general health problems or independent functional status.

Conclusions

AFE to football was not associated with adverse psychiatric, cognitive, neurobehavioral, or general health outcomes among young, former amateur American Football players. However, more lifetime concussions were associated with adverse cognitive and psychiatric health outcomes. Future studies should examine similar outcomes in older cohorts with more comorbidities to further minimize potential confounding between general health and lack of later-life symptoms.

中文翻译：

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年轻时首次接触美式橄榄球的年龄与健康的社区居民晚年健康问题之间的关联

 介绍

在几项研究中，首次接触美式橄榄球 （AFE） 的年龄较小 （AFE） 与前职业运动员的晚年健康问题有关;然而，对业余（即非专业）运动员的研究不太清楚。

 目的

在一组前业余美式橄榄球运动员中，本研究评估了对橄榄球的 AFE 是否与以下因素有关：（1） 精神和神经行为症状，（2） 认知困难，（3） 一般健康问题，（4） 运动症状，以及 （5） 功能状态。

 方法

使用 ResearchMatch 平台进行了一项横断面调查研究。关键的自变量是首次接触足球的年龄 （AFE < 12 vs AFE ≥ 12）。主要结局包括抑郁症状（患者健康问卷 9;PHQ-9）、焦虑症状 （广泛性焦虑症 7;GAD-7）、认知困难（不列颠哥伦比亚省认知投诉量表;BC-CCI）、神经行为症状量表 （NSI） 评分和其他健康问题的患病率。评估多变量回归 AFE 与结果变量之间的关联。

 结果

总共有 107 名接触足球的男性参与者（平均年龄：60.6 ± 15.1 岁）报告平均接触足球 4.2 ± 2.7 年，平均 AFE 为 11.7 ± 3.1 年。在多变量分析中，AFE < 12 不是 PHQ-9 （非标准化 β，B：0.51，标准误差，SE：1.25，p = 0.682）、GAD-7 （B： 0.09，SE： 0.95，p = 0.926）、NSI （B： − 0.56，SE： 2.93，p = 0.850） 或 BC-CCI （B： − 0.65，SE： 0.77，p = 0.403）。 然而，更多的既往脑震荡与较差的 PHQ-9 （B： 0.44， SE： 0.10， p < 0.001）、GAD-7 （B： 0.33， SE： 0.07， p < 0.001）、NSI （B： 1.04， SE： 0.23， p < 0.001） 和 BC-CCI 评分 （B： 0.26， SE： 0.06， p < 0.001） 相关。AFE < 12 不能预测一般健康问题或独立功能状态。

 结论

橄榄球的 AFE 与年轻的前业余美式橄榄球运动员的不良精神病、认知、神经行为或一般健康结果无关。然而，更多的终生脑震荡与不良的认知和精神健康结果相关。未来的研究应该在患有更多合并症的老年队列中检查类似的结果，以进一步减少一般健康状况与缺乏晚年症状之间的潜在混淆。