Preparticipation Screening Practices in Different Health Institutions
Ayşe Birsu Topcugil Kırık1
, Oğuz Yüksel1, Hüseyin Dursun2, Tuğba Kocahan3, Dayimi Kaya2
1Sports Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
2Cardiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
3Sports and Education Research Center, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ankara,Turkey
Keywords: Preparticipation screening, ECG, athlete
Abstract
Objective: Main purpose of preparticipation screening is to prevent sudden death of athletes. Although 14-item history and physical examination practice is suggested by all related international organisations, there is a divergency about implementation of ECG in preparticipation examination. Aim of this study is to investigate preparticipation screening practices in different health institutions.
Materials and methods: A personal interview was applied to voluntary athletes who had preparticipation screening in last twelve months. Survey consisted of questions about the experience of athletes in preparticipation screening.
Results: A total of 303 athletes included in the study. Most of the athletes admitted to family physician clinics (30.7%). A very high percentage of athletes (54.8%) had not been questioned about their personal or family health history. 40.3% of athletes had ECG tracing. History taking was the lowest in family medicine clinics (22.6%).
Conclusion: Preparticipation screening was not standardized. History taking during preparticipation screening was very low. There is a need for a national preparticipation screening guideline.
Cite this article as: Topcugil Kirik AB, Yuksel O, Dursun H, et al. Preparticipation screening practices in different health institutions. Turk J Sports Med. 2020;55(1):46-51.
