Special Olympics Games Research Articles

Mehmet Hıfzı Özcan in Terms of Biographic Sociology

Research based on life story is based on seeing from the perspective of the person being researched and revealing the social structure and processes that make up this perspective (Yildirim, 1999). For this reason, studies based on biographical sociology are one of the most appropriate qualitative studies in terms of explaining the life story of the researched person. Disability is a condition in which a person cannot fully perform certain movements, senses, or functions due to a physical or mental disorder that occurs at birth or later. Many scientists have done various studies on this situation. One of them is the founder and Honorary President of Turkish Spastic Children Foundation (TSCV), Prof. Mehmet Hifzi Ozcan. Ozcan, who is a professor of neurology, has contributed to the better recognition and solutions of spastic children, especially disabled people and their problems in Türkiye. The life, Works and contributions of Ozcan, who is one of the names who construct the infrastructure of the current situation of disability with the books he wrote and the thoughts he put forward, are discussed in this research. Thus, it is aimed that Mehmet Hifzi Ozcan, who has contributed to the participation of Türkiye in the Special Olympic Games, will be better known in our sports culture.

Relationship of Functional Reach Test scores and falls in Special Olympics athletes.

The Functional Reach Test is used to assess balance of Special Olympic athletes as part of the FUNfitness screens held at Special Olympics games. However, it is unknown if the Functional Reach Test is an accurate assessment of balance in this population. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between Functional Reach Test scores and falls in Special Olympic athletes. Data were collected as a part of the FUNfitness screens during Arizona Special Olympics games. The Functional Reach Test scores of 272 Special Olympic athletes were recorded. Athletes were asked to report the number of falls they experienced in the last 12months. A two-tailed Kendall tau test revealed little to no relationship between number of falls and Functional Reach Test scores of either the left upper extremity (n=263, τ=-0.063, P=0.202) or the right upper extremity (n=263, τ=-0.107, P=0.030). Sensitivity of the Functional Reach Test to identify fallers was 28.8%, and specificity was 83.5%. Scores of the Functional Reach Test did not correlate with actual falls. The relatively high specificity indicates the assessment is good at identifying non-fallers, while the low sensitivity results in a high number of fallers not being recognised as such. Therefore, the cut-off scores used for the Functional Reach Test in FUNfitness screenings may need to be altered to more accurately identify balance deficits in this population. FUNfitness screens need to be quick, efficient and accurate. As such, selection of the most appropriate assessment tools is essential. Consideration should be given on how to make the Functional Reach Test the most beneficial as a FUNfitness screen.

Development of a new index of strength in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Background: Given the increase in the prevalence of muscular strength problems in people with intellectual and developmental disability and the potentially serious consequences for their day-to-day life, there is a need for comprehensive evaluations of strength.Aims: To design a new index of the muscular strength of people with intellectual and developmental disability using principal components analysis.Methods and procedures: The sample consisted of 978 individuals with intellectual and developmental disability, 637 men and 341 women, with a mean age of 34.8 years (±11.2) who were recruited from the European Special Olympics Games. All participants were measured with the following functional tests: timed stand test, partial sit-up test, seated pushup and handgrip test.Outcomes and results: Data was analyzed using principal components analysis with Oblimin rotation and Kaiser normalization. The Component Plot and Rotated Space indicated that a one-factor solution was optimal. The principal component analysis revealed a satisfactory percentage of total variance explained.Conclusions: Based on the data analyzed above we believe that the strength index developed in this study could help to facilitate the assessment and follow-up of people with intellectual and developmental disability in the clinical setting, because it offers a broad measure of an individual’s muscular response generated to the various stimuli presented by the evaluator. In addition, because it is economical, and easy and quick to administer, this index could easily be applied in clinical and research settings.Implications for rehabilitationThe developed index allows to classify people with intellectual and developmental disability according to their strength, knowing, in addition, the variance that each of the four tests explains about that index.The strength index developed in this study could help to facilitate the assessment and follow-up of people with intellectual and developmental disability due to its ease of use, economy and time required for its execution, could lead to an easy transfer and use in clinical setting.

Targeting Dental Caries and Body Mass Index Among Special Olympics Athletes in Australia

AbstractDental caries and obesity‐associated chronic diseases are an additional burden to people with intellectual disabilities and one which can be reduced. To determine the association between dental caries and body mass index (BMI) among Special Olympics (SO) athletes. At the National SO Games (2014), three volunteer dentists screened consenting SO athletes (n = 116; 15–57 years old) and recorded decayed (D), missing (M), filled (F) teeth and caries experience (DMFT > 0). Volunteer‐accredited sports dietitians measured BMI as underweight (<18.5), normal (18.5–24.9), overweight (25.0–29.9), and obese (≥30) or used World Health Organization (WHO) classification of BMI‐for‐age for those under 19 years of age. The prevalence of decayed teeth was 16% and the mean DMFT was 4.0. About 40% of SO athletes had one or more missing and filled teeth. A third of the SO athletes had normal weight (33%), and the rest were overweight (40%) or obese (27%). Missing teeth and caries experience were significantly associated with higher BMI (χ2, p < .05). A more efficient common risk factor approach that simultaneously targets both dental caries and obesity should be adopted to improve the oral health and general health of SO athletes and the larger, more vulnerable population of people with intellectual disability.

Prevalence of dental trauma in individuals with special needs participating in local Special Olympics games

The Special Olympics Special Smiles (SOSS) Program provides oral health screening and data collection for athletes with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics events. This study evaluated the prevalence and severity of dental trauma among Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities who participated in the 2016 Israeli Special Olympics games. A free voluntary dental examination was offered to all participating athletes. The examination was performed by volunteer dentists who completed a standard SOSS examination form, which included questions on oral health status and evidence of dental trauma in the anterior teeth. The dental traumas were categorized by a modified clinical version of the Ellis classification for dental traumas, and they were combined into three main categories according to their severity. Chi-square analysis was used to find differences between gender and age in regard to the prevalence of dental trauma. The sample consisted of 249 athletes with intellectual disabilities aged 10-65 years (mean 29.2±11.24). The prevalence of dental trauma was 27.3%, of which 9.64% were categorized as mild and 17.67% as severe. Most of the traumas (94%) involved the maxillary incisors. The relatively high prevalence of dental trauma in special needs athletes revealed by this study's findings supports the need for using preventive measures, such as mouth guards, during sport activities.

Commentary

In April of 2013, fueled by the persistence of disproportionately poorer health experienced by children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—and a bottle of exceptional Syrah—a small group of healthcare professionals wondered together what could be done to fully and finally address health disparities. We wondered whether we could meaningfully engage the global community of people with IDD, their families and advocates, researchers, practitioners, and healthcare professionals in an examination of progress on Surgeon General David Satcher's call to action: Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint to Improve the Health of Persons with Mental Retardation: Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation (Office of the Surgeon General, 2002). These musings eventually culminated in the Global Summit on Innovations in Health and IDD, held in conjunction with the 2015 World Special Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. This gathering of many of the world's top professionals who focus on the intersection of health, healthcare, and people with IDD, has resulted in rededicated momentum in the movement toward dramatically improving health for people with IDD. Perhaps most important, it has resulted in the development of a global strategic plan—one that intersects intimately with the 2015 National Goals in Research, Practice and Policy in Health and Wellness for and with People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2015)—that seeks without equivocation to end health disparities for people with IDD.Some of the work represented in this special issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities has its origin at that conference. I am profoundly grateful to the authors of these works, scholars, practitioners and scientists who will guide us in our pursuit of health equity.There are too many friends, colleagues, and partners to acknowledge fully here. However, a brief listing of some of the planning and leadership team might help to reveal the diversity of the movement: Matt Holder from the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD); Leslie Rubin and Joav Merrick, friends and colleagues who were advocates for a worldwide scope to the project; Glenn Fujiura, Tamar Heller, David Braddock, Shea Tanis, and Laurence Taggart, key leaders in the research and policy community who proved so crucial to much of the program; Kathy Brown, Immediate Past President of Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA), who helped immeasurably with logistics; and Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, who scrapped his prepared presentation and delivered a powerful keynote address at the Global Summit that set the tone for our work going forward. I hope this special issue inspires you as much as it does me.

Syndromic Surveillance of Emergency Department Visits for the 2015 Special Olympics

In the largest gathering of nations in Los Angeles' history, the 2015 Special Olympics (SO) welcomed approximately 6,500 athletes from 165 countries, as well as 30,000 volunteers and 500,000 spectators from July 25 to August 2, 2015. We describe how Los Angeles County's (LAC's) syndromic surveillance system was used to detect potential emerging health events congruent with SO games and pre-game events.

Communicable diseases as health risks at mass gatherings other than Hajj: what is the evidence?

Mass gatherings are characterized by the concentration of people temporally and spatially, and may lead to the emergence of infectious diseases due to enhanced transmission between attendees. This is well-demonstrated in the context of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia. The goal of this review was to present the available evidence on outbreaks associated with a variety of pathogens, or also the lack thereof, as assessed by thorough surveillance at any mass gatherings with the exception of those in Saudi Arabia. A systematic search for relevant articles in the literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Sixty-eight studies were identified. Although outbreaks have not been reported frequently in or after mass gatherings outside the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, they have sometimes occurred at Muslim, Christian, and Hindu religious events, at sports events, and at large-scale open air festivals. In this review it was found that the most common outbreaks at these mass gatherings involved vaccine preventable diseases, mainly measles and influenza, but also mumps and hepatitis A. Meningococcal disease has rarely been recorded. Additionally it was found that the transmission of various communicable diseases that may not be prevented by vaccination has been recorded in association with mass gatherings. These were mainly gastrointestinal infections, caused by a variety of pathogens. It was also noted that some outbreaks occurring at mass gatherings have resulted in the international spread of communicable diseases.

Mass screenings at mass participation events: MedFest at Special Olympics.

MedFest events offer preparticipation physical evaluations to Special Olympics athletes. This free service can occur as free-standing events or can take place during Special Olympics Games. The goals of MedFest are to screen for conditions that are potentially life threatening or disabling or may predispose the athlete to injury or illness. The medication, cardiac, and neurologic histories are essential components of the evaluation. The majority of athletes screened during a MedFest event will be cleared for sports participation, but many will require some type of referral for further care. It is important for the organizers of the MedFest to have prearranged protocols to ensure that the athletes efficiently receive the required evaluations.

Development of a New Index of Balance in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

PurposesThe first objective was to propose a new model representing the balance level of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) using Principal Components Analysis (PCA); and the second objective was to use the results from the PCA recorded by regression method to construct and validate summative scales of the standardized values of the index, which may be useful to facilitate a balance assessment in adults with IDD.MethodsA total of 801 individuals with IDD (509 males) mean 33.1±8.5 years old, were recruited from Special Olympic Games in Spain 2009 to 2012. The participants performed the following tests: the timed-stand test, the single leg stance test with open and closed eyes, the Functional Reach Test, the Expanded Timed-Get-up-and-Go Test. Data was analyzed using principal components analysis (PCA) with Oblimin rotation and Kaiser normalization. We examined the construct validity of our proposed two-factor model underlying balance for adults with IDD. The scores from PCA were recorded by regression method and were standardized.ResultsThe Component Plot and Rotated Space indicated that a two-factor solution (Dynamic and Static Balance components) was optimal. The PCA with direct Oblimin rotation revealed a satisfactory percentage of total variance explained by the two factors: 51.6 and 21.4%, respectively. The median score standardized for component dynamic and static of the balance index for adults with IDD is shown how references values.ConclusionsOur study may lead to improvements in the understanding and assessment of balance in adults with IDD. First, it confirms that a two-factor model may underlie the balance construct, and second, it provides an index that may be useful for identifying the balance level for adults with IDD.

동계스페셜올림픽 중계방송에 대한 방송품질지각, 시청만족도, 재시청의도 관계연구

The purpose of this study was to verify the relationship among broadcasting factors, viewer satisfaction, and intention to rewatch of Pyeong-Chang 2013 Special Olympic Games in TV relay broadcasting program. Subjects were chosen from the viewers of Pyeong-Chang 2013 Special Olympic Games. Questionnaires were given to the subjects and 292 questionnaires that were used for the study. Data were analyzed through reliability analysis and correlation analysis using SPSS Windows V 18.0, also analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model analysis using AMOS 7.0. the structural equation model analysis results supported four hypotheses out of six hypotheses. First, commentator of Pyeong-Chang 2013 Special Olympic Games relay broadcasting program has statistically significant effects on viewer satisfaction. Second, image of Pyeong-Chang 2013 Special Olympic Games relay broadcasting program has statistically significant effects on viewer satisfaction. Third, viewer participation of Pyeong-Chang 2013 Special Olympic Games relay broadcasting program has statistically significant effects on viewer satisfaction. Fourth, viewer satisfaction of Pyeong-Chang 2013 Special Olympic Games relay broadcasting program has statistically significant effects on intention to rewatch

Zimní sporty ve Speciálních olympiádách

Physical activities and sports in winter outdoor environment are the part of spectrum of possible activities of persons with intellectual disability. Theoretical study is focused on description of winter sports related to domains: a) different approaches in Inas-FID and Special Olympics; b) survey of World Winter Games and national games of SO; c) check-list of winter sports included in World Special Olympic Games and in Czech National program; d) specific regulations of sports selection according sportsman abilities; e) „maximal effort“ regulation; f) possibilities of participation in Special Olympics, and winter sports.

Effect of Exposure to Special Olympic Games on Attitudes of Volunteers towards Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of volunteering for Special Olympics Games (SOG) on the attitudes of volunteers towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. A repeated measures design with 3-week follow-up was used. There were 100 volunteers recruited for the study and 90 of them completed the study. It was revealed that a 1-week exposure to the SOG improved volunteers' attitudes towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities significantly (P=0.016). Females had more positive attitudes than males at all three time points of measures. The interaction effect of gender was not significant. A 1-week exposure to the SOG can enhance volunteers' positive attitudes towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and this effect can maintain for up to a month.

A SURVEY STUDY ON ATTITUDES OF SPECIAL OLYMPIC GAMES VOLUNTEERS TOWARD THE INCLUSION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN CHINA

Currently no study investigates the extent of exposure to people with ID among Special Olympic Games (SOG) volunteers and the relationship between the exposure and attitudes toward the inclusion of individuals with ID. Thus, the present study was to investigate this gap. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with three hundred and eighty six SOG volunteers for the 5th (China) SOG in 2010. The results revealed that SOG volunteers were exposed to ID mainly through secondary sources (e.g., parents and mass media). There was a positive correlation between exposure to ID and attitude towards the inclusion of individuals with ID. There were no significant gender and age effects in attitude towards the inclusion of people with ID. It was suggested that the inclusion of people with ID in the Chinese social context can be advocated by increasing the exposure of the volunteers to people with ID.

Des sports toujours discriminants pour les personnes vivant avec un handicap aujourd’hui ?

Sports and physical activities do not spontaneously offer the view of particularly discriminatory spheres. It is however worth reflecting on the discrimination issue and how people living with disabilities take part in sports and physical activities and certain recreational and entertainment activities. The issue is examined through an analysis of the regulations which were established during the 1990s “dwarf tossing competitions” controversy. Then the analysis focuses on the sports practice settings intended for people with disabilities which have gradually been put in place during the 20th century: the “Silent International Games” for the deaf and hard-of-hearing since 1924, and since the 1960s the “Paralympic Games” and the “Special Olympics Games” intended for “mentally challenged athletes”. These Olympics continue to be the poor relations to the sports movements in terms of budget, of coaching and administration, and of media coverage. The concept of “ableism” used in the Anglo-Saxon analyses indicates a bias in the programs that are precisely supposed to integrate people living with disabilities. The relevance of the concept allows sociological analyses to take account, beyond physical pain, of the suffering of ostracized people who continue individually and collectively to face barriers, injustice and humiliation in their sporting life.

The Times They Are a Changing: Special Olympics and the Movement Towards Valued Lives and Inclusion

Be a Fan. You see that on Special Olympics literature, websites, and paraphernalia. More than a mere slogan, Be a Fan is part of a belief system that values people with intellectual disability for their gifts and talents, their abilities and humanity. I am a Special Olympics volunteer. Like approximately 550,000 people in the United States and 850,000 internationally (Andrea Cahn, personal communication, October 14, 2010), I give a small bit of my time, talent, and treasure to Special Olympics as Senior Advisor to the Chairman and CEO. No, I am not out there coaching or training athletes or refereeing events, that is just not something where I have anything to offer. I am participating in discussions, reviewing or drafting the occasional document, and responding to ideas and issues impacting the inclusion and full citizenship of people with intellectual disability, something I have been doing for most of my adult life. I hope my very small contribution to Special Olympics is helping the movement towards the goals of full citizenship, community membership, and respect for all people with intellectual disability. Movements and organizations, like people, grow and change. I am writing this article because, as the world for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities continues to change and evolve, I think those who have advocated for community inclusion and participation have an ally, one we have failed to recognize, and with gifts and talents we have ignored, one we need to take seriously, and one who many of us shunned in the past. Special Olympics is a program we need now perhaps more than ever.

Physical fitness profile in adults with intellectual disabilities: Differences between levels of sport practice

Neuromuscular and aerobic capacity can be reduced in people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Previous studies suggest these individuals might be particularly susceptible to losing basic functions because of poor physical fitness. The aim of this study is to describe the physical fitness profile of adult athletes with ID and identify whether there are differences in the physical performance between the most physically active individuals and less active individuals. A cross-sectional observational study was developed involving 266 athletes with mild ID (187 males and 79 females), recruited from the Spanish Special Olympics Games. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the health status of participants and their frequency of physical activity practice. A battery of 13 fitness tests was applied to assess flexibility, strength/endurance, balance and cardiovascular capabilities. Of the total participants, 44.3% were classified as sportspersons and the remainder as non sportspersons, taking in consideration the frequency of physical activity. Regarding the scores, a significant difference was found in degrees of flexibility between genders, higher for females for one test but higher for males in the other three. A significant difference was not encountered between other variables of physical fitness, although the men's scores were higher in strength/endurance and balance. When the scores of the sportspersons and non sportspersons groups were compared, no significant difference was found between the two, with the exception of one test for flexibility. Differences among groups and gender were not statistically significant in most of the tests. The findings in this study illustrate an unclear and inconclusive relation between the scores and the declared level of physical activity, maybe due to the context in which participants for the study were selected.

Stars shine at special Olympic games

Stars shine at special Olympic games

Evaluation of Community-Based Health Promotion Programs for Special Olympics Athletes

Health screenings conducted during Special Olympics competitions and games have consistently shown that a significant number of athletes with intellectual disabilities (IDs) were overweight or obese, and surveys have indicated that athletes need more fitness training than they receive from their sport practices. In 2002, Special Olympics initiated five community-based health promotion pilot projects for athletes. The projects lasted multiple weeks across the U.S. and were aimed at improving physical fitness and lifestyle behaviors. This study reports on an evaluation of the program and on predictors of program success. The subjects included 56 athletes with ID who participated in these five programs. Data were drawn from interviews with the participants and 54 coaches, residential staff, and parents at baseline and after program completion, along with data from five program directors after program completion. Qualitative and quantitative findings were presented for the following areas: psychosocial and physical health status, physical and nutrition cognitions and supports, and health behaviors among the athletes; program satisfaction among coaches and athletes; and process and structural variables associated with implementation of the programs. Positive psychosocial and health benefits included improved perceived health, reduced body weight, increased fiber intake, improved self-confidence, more positive attitudes toward exercise, and decreased barriers to exercising. Several themes emerged related to implementing health promotion programs, such as obtaining “buy-in” from athletes, coaches, family members, and carers to ensure ongoing support; implementing structured recruitment strategies; formalizing existing relationships; and identifying and incorporating time, money, and transportation constraints and assessment protocols into the program design. Results support the need to broaden health promotion programs to more community-based settings.

Postural Stability of Athletes in Special Olympics

To assess body equilibrium in athletes with intellectual disability, 60 adults with intellectual disability (30 Down syndrome, 30 nonsyndromic) participating in the 2005 Italian Special Olympics games were tested, and data for 30 healthy control adults were tested. Each subject performed four posturographic tests with open eyes, open eyes and cotton rolls between antagonist teeth, and closed eyes and cotton rolls between teeth. For each subject and test, oscillations of the body's center of foot pressure on a force platform were measured. Comparisons of the center of foot pressure sway area between groups were computed. Ratios of the sway area for the center of foot pressure among experimental conditions were compared for all athletes. The athletes with Down syndrome had larger sway of center of foot pressure area than controls and smaller than that of athletes for the nonsyndromic. All participants oscillated less with open eyes than with closed eyes. The cotton rolls reduced the sway area for the center of foot pressure by participants, while athletes with intellectual disability showed larger body sway than healthy ones, but cotton rolls between the teeth seemed to improve their postural performance.