BRAZILIAN OLYMPIC FEMALE ATHLETES’ MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Introduction: Female participation in sports had reached a milestone in 1972 when a constitutional amendment was implemented to ensure equal opportunities for men and women. Since then, the percentage of participants in competitive sports has grown. In 1992, an association was made between three disorders related to female athletes called the “Female Athlete Triad”. After that, much has been studied about this and other particularities of female athletes. Objective: To identify the professionals who follow-up Brazilian female Olympic athletes and the association between a multidisciplinary approach and athletes’ knowledge about gynecological issues related to the practice of sport, i.e., female athlete triad, urinary incontinence, and weight control concerns. Methods: This observational study was conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016, during the Olympic Games. It included 120 female members of the Brazilian teams. A self-applied questionnaire, validated and adapted from the pre-participation gynecological evaluation of female athletes, was used to evaluate their multidisciplinary follow-ups, weight control concerns, and knowledge about the Female Athlete Triad and urinary incontinence. Results: The athletes practiced 28 different sports. For 66%, it was their first participation in Olympic Games; 56% were unaware of the female athlete triad, 77% indicated weight concerns, and 52% were on a diet. The use of diuretics or laxatives or vomiting was reported by 11%; 67.5% were aware that sports are a risk factor for urinary incontinence, and 40% had already experienced urine loss. Decreased sportive performance was mentioned by 31%. Several athletes presented multidisciplinary follow-ups psychological (83%), nutritional (96%), and gynecological (83%). Conclusion: Brazilian Olympic athletes sought multidisciplinary follow-ups during the Olympic cycle; however, participants’ knowledge of sports-related issues remains limited. An orientation program regarding the above conditions is needed for female athletes and the professionals working with them to improve health and performance. Evidence Level IV; Cross-sectional observational study.