A prospective cohort study on symptoms of common mental disorders among current and retired professional ice hockey players

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the current and retired professional ice hockey players.

Variables	Current (N = 135)		Retired (N = 123)
Age in years; mean (SD)	26	(5)	35	(8)
Height in cm; mean (SD)	180	(17)	180	(19)
Weight in kg; mean (SD)	84	(9)	87	(13)
Duration sport career in years; mean (SD)	8	(5)	11	(5)
Educational level; %
No schooling completed	1		3
Nursery/elementary school	4		0
High school	48		9
Vocational/technical school	6		19
College, university (equivalent)	41		69
Duration retirement in years; mean (SD)			7	(6)
Involuntarily retired from sport; %			24
Currently working or studying; %			94
Working/studying hours per week; mean (SD)			43	(9)
Severe injuries; %
None	13		19
1 or 2	46		36
3 or more	41		45
Surgeries; %
None	46		40
1 or 2	39		36
3 or more	15		24
Recent life events; %
None	24		57
1 or 2	56		31
3 or more	20		12
Career dissatisfaction; %	13		8

N: number of participants; %: percentage; SD: standard deviation; cm: centimeters; kg: kilograms.

Table 2. Prevalence, comorbidity, and 6-month incidence of symptoms of common mental disorders among current and retired professional ice hockey players.

	Current professional ice hockey players				Retired professional ice hockey players
	Prevalence (95% CI)		Incidence (95% CI)		Prevalence (95% CI)		Incidence (95% CI)
Distress	13.4	(8.6–20.3)	5.6	(<0.1–27.7)	11.7	(6.8–19.1)	8.3	(<0.0–37.5)
Anxiety/depression	24.1	(17.6–32.0)	16.7	(5.0–40.1)	19.4	(13.0–28.0)	8.3	(<0.0–37.5)
Sleep disturbance	15.0	(9.9–22.2)	11.1	(1.9–34.1)	16.7	(10.7–24.9)	25.0	(8.3–53.9)
Adverse alcohol use	7.6	(4.0–13.5)	5.6	(<0.1–27.7)	28.7	(21.0–37.9)	16.7	(3.5–46.0)
Eating disorders	17.6	(10.2–28.5)	22.2	(8.5–45.8)	23.8	(14.9–35.7)	8.3	(<0.0–37.5)
Comorbidity – 2 symptoms	17.6	(10.2–28.5)			12.8	(7.7–20.5)
Comorbidity – 3 symptoms	8.8	(3.8–18.3)			10.1	(5.6–17.3)
Comorbidity – 4 symptoms	0				0.9	(<0.0–5.5)
Comorbidity – 5 symptoms	0				0

N: number of participants; CI: confidence interval.

Table 3. Relation (odds ratio and 95% CI) between stressors and symptoms of common mental disorders among current and retired professional ice hockey players.

		Distress		Anxiety/depression		Sleep disturbance		Adverse alcohol use		Eating disorders
		Current	Retired	Current	Retired	Current	Retired	Current	Retired	Current	Retired
Severe injuries	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	1–2	2.8 (0.3–23.6)	0.3 (0.1–2.1)	1.5 (0.4–5.1)	1.8 (0.4–7.4)	0.9 (0.2–3.8)	0.6 (0.1–2.6)	–	0.9 (0.3–3.2)	0.3 (0.1–2.3)	0.3 (0.1–2.5)
	≥3	2.8 (0.3–24.0)	1.1 (0.3–4.7)	0.7 (0.2–2.5)	1.3 (0.3–5.3)	0.7 (0.2–3.0)	0.9 (0.2–3.3)	–	1.5 (0.4–4.7)	1.2 (0.2–7.1)	1.4 (0.3–6.5)
Surgeries	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	1–2	0.6 (0.2–2.0)	0	0.9 (0.4–2.1)	0.7 (0.2–2.2)	1.1 (0.4–3.1)	0.3 (0.1–1.1)	1.9 (0.5–7.1)	1.9 (0.6–6.0)	2.0 (0.5–8.9)	4.7 (0.5–42.9)
	≥3	1.4 (0.4–5.3)	0.7 (0.2–2.5)	0.7 (0.2–2.4)	1.1 (0.4–3.7)	2.2 (0.6–7.8)	0.8 (0.2–2.6)	–	8.4 (2.6–26.9)	1.3 (0.2–8.8)	4.9 (0.5–45.6)
Recent life events	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	1–2	1.9 (0.4–9.6)	1.6 (0.4–6.0)	0.6 (0.2–1.7)	1.1 (0.3–3.0)	0.6 (0.2–2.0)	1.2 (0.4–3.4)	1.0 (0.2–5.2)	0.9 (0.4–2.1)	0.6 (0.2–2.1)	3.1 (0.9–10.3)
	≥3	5.1 (1.0–27.0)	2.7 (0.6–12.6)	1.6 (0.5–5.0)	1.6 (0.4–6.2)	1.8 (0.5–6.4)	0.8 (0.2–4.1)	1.7 (0.3–11.0)	–	–	–
Career dissatisfaction	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	Yes	0.6 (0.1–5.7)	7.5 (1.1–55.7)	3.4 (0.8–14.4)	3.2 (0.5–21.7)	1.3 (0.2–7.0)	4.2 (0.6–29.0)	1.1 (0.1–10.4)	0.9 (0.1–5.7)	5.1 (1.1–23.1)	0.8 (0.1–7.6)

CI: confidence interval.

Values given in italics are significant at p < 0.05.