Young,talented and injured: Injury perceptions,experiences and consequences in adolescent elite athletes

Even though injury is common in elite sports, there is still a lack of knowledge of young athletes’ injury perception both during and after injury. The aim of this mixed-method study was, therefore, to explore, in-depth, data on injury consequences and adolescent elite athletes’ perceptions and experience of injury. Three hundred and forty adolescent elite athletes (age range 15–19), from 16 different sports, were bi-weekly monitored over 52 weeks using a valid questionnaire. Twenty athletes from the same cohort were interviewed in focus groups about injury experience and perceptions. The results show that the average bi-weekly prevalence of injury was 38.7% (95% CI 37.3–40.1), with 30.0% (n?=?102) of the athletes injured for more than half of all reporting times. An overarching theme from the focus groups highlighted the risk among young athletes of a loss of identity while injured. The findings support several suggestions that may improve the rehabilitation process and enhance rehabilitation outcomes: (a) provide clear pathways to the medical team, (b) recognize the identity loss, (c) involve the injured athletes with the rest of the teammates and (d) educate athletes about how to interpret pain signals. Future research should explore and evaluate the effectiveness and generalization of such interventions.     

How should we categorise self-reported data on subsequent injuries?*

Classifying subsequent injuries is of high importance in injury epidemiology since a previous injury has been reported to increase the risk of a new injury or increase the risk of a more severe injury. Multiple reports have shown that self-reported data provide an extensive view of an injury problem and add valuable information to the understanding of the athlete’s health. The purpose of this study was to display a method that can be used to facilitate classification of subsequent injuries and to discuss challenges faced when categorising subsequent injuries based on self-reported data. The suitability of a new model for Subsequent Injuries Adjusted for Self-reported data (SIAS model) was demonstrated with sport injury data from a cohort of 101 adolescent elite track & field athletes, followed over 52 weeks. A total number of 71 subsequent injuries were identified. Of all subsequent injuries, recurrent injuries represented 69.0% (n?=?49) and 31.0% (n?=?22) were classified as new injuries. The majority of subsequent injuries (n?=?60, 84.5%) occurred after athletes had recovered from a previous injury. Of all subsequent injuries, 15.5% (n?=?11) represented injuries where athletes had not fully recovered from a previous injury. Application of the SIAS model allows for classification of subsequent injuries based on self-reported data on the recovery level of the athletes, the injury onset and injury type. The developed SIAS model follows the consensus recommendations of injury definition, injury classification and is an attempt to increase the understanding of the complex relationship of subsequent injuries in self-reported data sets.     

FROM DISCONTENT TO PROTEST: INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL CAUSES OF THE 1989 PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT IN CHINA

Based on a secondary analysis of a survey involving more than2,500 urban working residents in China, this study tests severalindividual-level causes of protest behavior suggested by theresearch on protest in the West. The timing of the survey, justthree months before the 1989 massive upheaval in China, makesthe study especially valuable. Results from path analysis showthat age, education, and Communist Party membership have bothdirect and indirect impacts on protest, in an expected way.Income has only an indirect effect, whereas the impact of genderis not significant because the direct and indirect effects countereach other. Occupation does not make a difference. In addition,discontent with economic reforms, distrust in the government,aspirations for Western democracy, and disillusionment withCommunist ideology all significantly enhance protest behavior.Postmaterialist values, which contribute positively to politicalprotest in the West, play a suppressor role in China's context,which offers interesting implications for comparative researchon public opinion and political behavior.     

Examining Sexuality Education Preferences Among Youth at Risk for Poor Sexual Health Outcomes Based on Social Determinants of Health Factors

ABSTRACT

At-risk adolescents may experience Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) that lead to higher rates of risky sexual behavior, including increased risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. These SDoH may include components such as unstable family structures, incomplete education, and poverty. Targeting at-risk youth for sexuality education is one way to work toward decreasing sexual health disparities. However, preferences for sexuality education approaches may differ among at-risk youth by additional factors including sex and sexual orientation. The purpose of this study was to describe sexuality education preferences among at-risk youth and how sexuality education preferences differ based on sex and sexual orientation in an at-risk sample of high school-aged youth in Texas. Results indicate sexuality education preferences differ based on sex and sexual orientation when examined by sexual health topics and methods of delivery. Implications of this study indicate including at-risk youth in sexual health programs may be a way to target those at-risk of adverse SDoH, but these groups also have specific preferences for sexuality education.     

Orthographic skills important to Chinese literacy development: the role of radical representation and orthographic memory of radicals

A 3-year longitudinal study among 239 Chinese students in Grades 2–4 was conducted to investigate the relationships between orthographic skills (including positional and functional knowledge of semantic radicals and phonetic radicals, and orthographic memory of radicals) and Chinese literacy skills (word reading, word spelling, reading comprehension and written composition). Phonetic radical knowledge was the only significant longitudinal predictor of word reading, whereas all orthographic skills examined were significant longitudinal predictors of word spelling. Reading comprehension was uniquely predicted by semantic radical knowledge. A model showing the relationships between orthographic skills and literacy skills was postulated.