Poster Presentation
Sunday, November 4, 2007
10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Sunday, November 4, 2007
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Identifying Eating Disorders in Young Female Athletes: Female Athlete Triad
Kit Sebrey Schafer, MSN, RNC, NP, Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA and Julie Novak, DNSc, RN, MA, CPNP, FAANP, School of Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| Learning Objective #1: identify critical assessments to incorporate during a preparticipation examination that will screen for eating disorders in adolescent female athletes. |
| Learning Objective #2: design changes to implement critical assessments into a preparticipation examination to enhance screening for eating disorders in adolescent female athletes. |
In 2006 over 2.9 million high school female athletes and over 150,000 female college athletes (NCAA, 2006) participated in organized sports in the United States. This number continues to increase yearly since the Title IX legislation 34 years ago to ensure equal sports related opportunities for female athletes. Disordered eating and eating disorders are being reported in the literature in increasing numbers in female athletes. The prevalence varies from 13-62% depending on sport type and willingness of athletes to report their symptoms. This study focuses on early identification of at risk athletes by utilizing a screening tool created by statistical analysis of both physical and behavioral characteristics assessed on a volunteer sample of college female athletes (N=148). After analysis a scale was developed based on the items ability to discriminate for disordered eating/eating disorders. 76% of the athletes with eating disorders were identified. The design of this screening tool is to be utilized during preparticipation examinations (PPE) for identification of athletes at risk for disordered eating/eating disorders. It is critical to understand that timely identification improves early treatment and prevention of long term sequelae in young female athletes that have risks associated with disordered eating/eating disorders. Ultimately the health of female athletes can be impacted by implementing changes in the PPE.