Self-Reported Cognitive Function and Mental Health Diagnoses among Former Professional American-Style Football Players
Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Clinical practice strongly relies on patients' self-report. Former professional American-style football players are hesitant to seek help for mental health problems, but may be more willing to report cognitive symptoms. We sought to assess the association between cognitive symptoms and diagnosed mental health problems and quality of life among a cohort of former professional players. In a cross-sectional design, we assessed self-reported cognitive function using items from the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QOL) Item Bank. We then compared mental health diagnoses and quality of life, assessed by items from the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ), between former professional players reporting daily problems in cognitive function and former players not reporting daily cognitive problems. Of the 3758 former professional players included in the analysis, 40.0% reported daily problems due to cognitive dysfunction. Former players who reported daily cognitive problems were more likely to also report depression (18.0% vs. 3.3%, odds ratio [OR] = 6.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] [4.90–8.40]) and anxiety (19.1% vs. 4.3%, OR = 5.29, 95% CI [4.14–6.75]) than those without daily cognitive problems. Further, former players reporting daily cognitive problems were more likely to report memory loss and attention deficit(/hyperactivity) disorder and poorer general mental health, lower quality of life, less satisfaction with social activities and relationships, and more emotional problems. These findings highlight the potential of an assessment of cognitive symptoms for identifying former players with mental health, social, and emotional problems.
Source: Journal of Neurotrauma
Institutions: Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Institut Guttmann, Hebrew SeniorLife, Oregon State University, Oregon Health & Science University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Berenson Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funders: Harvard University, National Football League Players Association, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Research Resources, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
Awards: Telerehabilitation for Patients with Stroke, The Development and Human Translation of Temporal Interference Brain Stimulation, Reliability of Repetitive TMS-induced Modulation of Cortical Excitability, Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (UL1), Delirium, Dementia, and the Vulnerable Brain: An Integrative Approach, Micro-TMS Technology for Ultra-Focal Brain Stimulation, Brain Plasticity Measures in MCI, Cortical Plasticity in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury
OpenAlex ID: W2989037096