A prospective cohort study on symptoms of common mental disorders among Dutch elite athletes

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the Dutch elite athletes.

	Total (N = 203)	No CMD (N = 74)	CMD (N = 129)
Age (in years; mean ± SD)	27 ± 7	26 ± 6	28 ± 8
Male/Female (%)	36/64	38/62	34/66
Height (in cm; mean ± SD)	177 ± 10	179 ± 10	177 ± 10
Weight (in kg; mean ± SD)	71 ± 13	71 ± 13	71 ± 13
Duration of elite sport career (in years; mean ± SD)	8 ± 5	7 ± 5	8 ± 5
Team/Individual sport (%)	48/52	43/57	50/50
Educational level (%)
No schooling completed	2	3	1
Nursery/Elementary school	1	0	2
High school	7	9	6
Vocational/technical school	34	35	32
College, university or equivalent	56	53	59
Currently working or studying (%)	49	50	50
Working/studying hours per week (in hours; mean ± SD)	17 ± 14	18 ± 15	16 ± 13
One or more severe injuries (%)	64	60	65
One or more surgeries (%)	31	26	34
One or more recent life events (%)	72	65	82
Career dissatisfaction (%)	31	18	36
Baseline prevalence (%)
Distress	27
Anxiety/depression	45
Sleep disturbance	22
Adverse alcohol use	6
Eating disorders	32

N: number of participants; no CMD: group without symptoms of common mental disorders at baseline; CMD: group with symptoms of common mental disorders at baseline; SD: standard deviation; cm: centimeters; kg: kilograms; %: percentage

Figure 1. Flowchart of the recruitment and follow-up of Dutch elite athletes.

Table 2. 12-month incidence of symptoms of common mental disorders among Dutch elite athletes.

	Incidence	(95% CI)
Distress	32.4	(19.6–48.6)
Anxiety/depression	56.8	(40.9–71.3)
Sleep disturbance	19.4	(9.5–35.3)
Adverse alcohol use	5.6	(0.6–19.1)
Eating disorders	16.7	(7.5–32.3)
Comorbidity – 2 symptoms	16.7	(7.5–32.3)
Comorbidity – 3 symptoms	19.4	(9.5–35.3)
Comorbidity – 4 symptoms	0	(0–8.4)
Comorbidity – 5 symptoms	2.8	(<0.1–15.4)

95% CI: confidence interval

Table 3. Association (relative risk and 95% CI) between stressors and symptoms of common mental disorders among Dutch elite athletes.

		Distress	Anxiety/Depression	Sleeping disturbance	Adverse alcohol use	Eating disorders
Being injures	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	Yes	2.5 (0.2–45.0)	0.9 (0.5–15.1)	n/a	n/a	n/a
Recent life events	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	Yes	1.5 (0.2–11.0)	1.1 (0.4–3.3)	0.8 (0.2–3.0)	1.6 (0.2–14.5)	0.9 (0.2–4.6)
Career dissatisfaction	No	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	Yes	0.7 (0.2–2.2)	3.5 (0.4–35.5)	1.0 (0.1–10.3)	7.0 (0.4–138.2)	2.2 (0.2–26.3)