Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms related to mental disorders (distress, anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance, adverse alcohol behaviour, adverse smoking behaviour, adverse nutrition behaviour) among retired professional footballers, and to explore their associations with stressors i.e. determinants such as severe injury, surgery, life events and career dissatisfaction.
Method: Cross--sectional analyses were conducted on baseline questionnaires from an ongoing prospective cohort study among retired male professional footballers. Based on validated questionnaires to assess both stressors and symptoms related to mental disorders, an electronic questionnaire was set up and distributed by players' unions in 11 countries across three continents.
Results: Prevalence of symptoms related to mental disorders among 219 retired professional footballers ranged from 11% for adverse smoking behaviour and 18% for distress, to 35% for anxiety/depression and 65% for adverse nutrition behaviour. Especially life events that occurred in the previous six months was positively associated with distress (OR=1.3; 95%CI 1.0--1.6), anxiety/depression (OR=1.6; 95%CI 1.2--2.1), sleeping disturbance (OR=1.3; 95%CI 1.1--1.7) and adverse nutrition behaviour (OR=1.4; 95%CI 1.0--1.8).
Conclusions: A high prevalence of symptoms related to mental disorders was found among retired professional footballers, confirming a previous study in a similar study population. Relationships were established between symptoms of mental disorders and severe injuries, recently occurred life events, and career dissatisfaction.