Abstract
Many adolescent and young adult athletes only access the healthcare system through involvement in sports. Yet, many opportunities are missed in the sports medicine environment to provide holistic, quality care for these athletes that assists them in navigating to healthy adults and addresses inequities that impair good health. Since most causes of morbidity and mortality in this age group are related to poor health behaviors, and comprehensive health care services are fragmented, it is imperative that sports medicine healthcare be reimagined to incorporate a social-ecological perspective that holistically addresses the unique medical, social, cultural, and behavioral needs of athletes. We propose a social-ecological perspective that enhances developmental assets as the basis for sports medicine services. This innovative approach - the Holistic Athletic Healthcare Model - involves 1) addressing adolescent developmental needs and the social determinants of health at the individual level, 2) using strength-based approaches and demonstrating cultural competency in health provider relationships, 3) integrating medical care with campus community services, and 4) promoting health equity in the campus environment. Engagement in sports has many benefits beyond winning in the game, and health is more than being injury-free. Sports medicine practitioners and healthcare systems must be proactive in supporting athletes from all backgrounds to become healthy adults.
Highlights
Collegiate athletes in the United States comprise an increasingly diverse population of mainly adolescents and young adults who have unique healthcare needs
We present an innovative framework that incorporates a socioecological model and team-based care delivery to provide holistic, culturally-competent care to adolescent and young adult athletes - the Holistic Athletic Healthcare Model
The framework of the Holistic Athletic Healthcare Model incorporates components that have been demonstrated in prior literature to promote adolescent and young adult well-being: (a) addressing adolescent developmental needs and the social determinants of health at the individual level, (b) using strength-based approaches and demonstrating cultural competency in healthcare provider-athlete relationships, (c) integrating medical care with campus community services, and (d) promoting health equity in the campus environment
Summary
Collegiate athletes in the United States comprise an increasingly diverse population of mainly adolescents and young adults who have unique healthcare needs. The framework of the Holistic Athletic Healthcare Model incorporates components that have been demonstrated in prior literature to promote adolescent and young adult well-being: (a) addressing adolescent developmental needs and the social determinants of health at the individual level, (b) using strength-based approaches and demonstrating cultural competency in healthcare provider-athlete relationships, (c) integrating medical care with campus community services, and (d) promoting health equity in the campus environment. By incorporating these evidence-based concepts into a system of care within a sports medicine environment, collegiate sports medicine care can be reimagined to help ensure youth athletes from all backgrounds receive quality healthcare that can help them become healthy adults
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Higher Education Athletics & Innovation
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
