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Does occupational success influence longevity among England test cricketers?
1The School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AL, UK. p.boyle@st-andrews.ac.uk
British Journal of Sports Medicine
|April 12, 2008
Summary
England test cricketers' social background and occupational success significantly influenced their longevity. Privileged amateur cricketers lived longer than professionals, and higher-achieving players had increased survival rates.
Area of Science:
- Sports history
- Social determinants of health
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Investigating factors influencing longevity in elite athletes provides insights into health disparities.
- Understanding the interplay between socioeconomic status and health outcomes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of occupational success on the longevity of England test cricketers.
- To control for the influence of social background in this analysis.
Main Methods:
- Archival survey of 418 England test cricketers (1876-1963).
- Survival analysis was employed to analyze length of life.
- Data included birth year, amateur/professional status, and number of test matches played.
Main Results:
- Mortality was significantly related to year of birth, amateur/professional status, and the number of test matches played.
- Amateur cricketers, often from more privileged backgrounds, exhibited longer survival.
- Higher numbers of test matches played correlated with increased longevity.
Conclusions:
- Social background and occupational success are linked to longevity in test cricketers.
- The findings support the hypothesis that socioeconomic factors influence health outcomes in elite athletes.
- While performance success correlated with longevity, captaining the team did not show a significant association.
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