Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 9, 2026
Assessing Changes in Synaptic Plasticity Using an Awake Closed-Head Injury Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: January 20, 2023
Former Collegiate Athletes' Healthcare Needs During and After Sport Transition: An Exploratory Study
Erin J Reifsteck1, Yeongjun Seo1, DeAnne D Brooks2
1Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina.
Background:
Student-athletes face unique challenges when transitioning out of collegiate sports, losing access to comprehensive athletic department healthcare services while navigating the critical developmental period of emerging adulthood.
Purpose:
Identify health and wellbeing needs among former student-athletes who have recently transitioned out of college sports to inform targeted healthcare transition strategies.
Study Design:
Mixed-methods design.
Level Of Evidence:
Level 4.
Methods:
A total of 35 former student-athletes (17 women, 18 men) representing diverse backgrounds who participated in their final collegiate competition between 2019 and 2023 completed surveys assessing self-reported measures of health indicators, transition healthcare resources, healthcare engagement, and sport transition planning. A total of 12 former student-athletes participated in focus groups exploring barriers and facilitators in their healthcare transition experience.
Results:
Participants generally perceived their current health as similar to or improved compared with their collegiate athletic careers (37.1% each), whereas a smaller proportion reported worse health (25.7%). While many participants reported having a general transition plan, most (68.6%) lacked a specific healthcare management plan. Participants cited difficulties with obtaining the care or treatment they needed. Focus groups highlighted a "Performance over People" culture in elite sport in which athletic achievement was prioritized over long-term well-being. "Relational Resources" such as support from family, friends, mentors, and knowledgeable medical professionals were critical for successful sport transition.
Conclusion:
The broader culture of elite sport and the long-term consequences of participation appear to affect how student-athletes understand their health and engage with healthcare as former athletes. Former collegiate athletes experience notable gaps in healthcare support during their transition out of collegiate sports, particularly in accessing holistic care from providers who understand their health needs as former student-athletes.
Clinical Relevance:
Structured healthcare transition planning, specialized provider networks that connect patients to medical professionals with sport-specific expertise, and formal mentorship programs are potential strategies for promoting the physical and mental wellbeing of former student-athletes during and after their transition out of collegiate sport.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Restorative Care
01:11Secondary Healthcare System
01:31Discharge Summary Forms
Here's a detailed look at the key components and guidelines for preparing a discharge summary:
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:17Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe...
01:26Traditional Level Of Health Care System
The preventive healthcare service includes tests for screening. Preventive health care services include identifying and reducing disease risk...