The role of health literacy in parents’ decision making in children’s sporting participation

Abstract

The contemporary concept of health literacy has received heightened attention within the academic community over the last decade. Health literacy, which is related to the acquisition, understanding and application of health-related information (Jordan, Buchbinder and Osborne 2010), has been acknowledged as a key public health goal within Australia. Health literacy is particularly important where parents and children are concerned, as parents play a key role in recommending or discouraging activities that may impact on children’s physical health, such as sport. A health literacy approach may reshape parental motivations towards the holistic outcomes of sporting engagement, thereby promoting a healthier approach to sport participation. This is fundamental, given the current orientation towards a competitive sports model of participation within Australia, even for those participating at an amateur level. At present, improving social awareness of the physical health benefits of junior sport participation is a major challenge for communities, as parents are motivated by a combination of factors. Sport sociology literature suggests that social health is the primary beneficiary and motivator of junior sport participation, which encompasses the formation and development of friendships and communication skills. For parents, another key motivational factor for junior sport participation is the importance placed on winning. However, the fundamental benefits of junior sport involvement extend beyond the competitively oriented goals that are often enforced by parents. Consequently, there is a concern that parents who lack a holistic understanding of the physiological, biomechanical and social benefits of junior sport may impact on sport discontinuation. This paper will provide discussion around the importance of taking a health literacy approach towards junior sporting participation rather than the competitive model that currently dominates sport in Australian culture. It will highlight the health and broader social benefits of taking such an approach.