Search Results (427)

Globally, physical activity is increasingly acknowledged as an effective strategy for combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there is a significant global disparity in the integration of sport sciences graduates (SSGs) into national health systems. This study assessed the professional roles of SSGs within healthcare systems and their association with NCD mortality across (n = 34) countries that met the selection criteria, using a cross-national, ecological, and cross-sectional design. Principal component analysis was conducted to reduce the dimensions of the correlated structural indicators. A pre-specified generalized linear model (Gamma family, log link) with HC3 robust standard errors estimated the association between SSG integration and age-standardized NCD mortality, alongside a descriptive analysis of public funding (national or subnational) for SSG services. The findings indicate that integrating SSGs into primary care was associated with approximately 23% lower age-standardized NCD mortality (rate ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.63–0.94, p = 0.011; approximately 16% to 23% across model specifications) after adjusting for demographic and economic factors, with near-universal public funding (100% of integrated versus 24% of other countries; Fisher’s exact p < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first cross-national analysis to link the functional integration of SSGs into primary care with population NCD mortality, and this relationship remained consistent across multiple robustness checks. The implications suggest that functional integration and its public funding may represent promising policy approaches for strengthening preventive health services. Given the ecological, cross-sectional design, longitudinal studies are warranted to establish causality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Family-Centered Care (FCC) is an established standard in pediatric rehabilitation, but it has been studied almost entirely inside health services; whether its principles survive the move into community settings is largely unknown. This paper describes how caregivers perceive the family-centeredness of a community-based adapted sport program and characterizes child quality of life and caregiver well-being. Methods: Cross-sectional study within the “Skill-In” program (University of Messina). Nineteen caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities completed the MPOC-20, the KIDSCREEN-52 proxy version and the CarerQoL, analyzed with Spearman correlations and bootstrap confidence intervals. Results: The overall MPOC-20 mean item score was 5.43/7 (SD 0.83), concealing a wide spread from Respectful and Supportive Care (6.25) to Providing General Information (3.78). “Not applicable” responses (14.2%) clustered in items presupposing a clinical provider. KIDSCREEN-52 raw sums were converted to Rasch-based T-values (norm: mean 50, SD 10). Eight of ten dimensions fell within half a standard deviation of the norm, including Social Acceptance (47.65); two did not, Social Support and Peers (34.58) and Autonomy (39.42), each over one standard deviation below. Caregivers reported favorable well-being (CarerQoL-VAS 7.32/10), though six of nineteen reported no support. Associations between care processes and family outcomes were weak. Conclusions: A sport organization with no clinical mandate delivered the relational core of family-centered care comparably to rehabilitation services, while falling short on structured information. The children’s quality-of-life profile was normal on most dimensions but selectively low on peer support and autonomy. Acceptance, on this evidence, is not connection: social participation must be designed for, not assumed. Full article

The Cambodian Ministry of Education Youth, and Sport (MoEYS) has, over time, made noticeable progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. However, the pace and extent of that progress remain uneven, particularly in the area of teacher training, which is central to achieving inclusive and quality education. Utilising a document analysis framework, this study draws upon national policy reform documents including the Teacher Policy Action Plan to examine the extent to which the MoEYS’s policy commitments to professionalise the teaching workforce are meeting SDG-4.c goals. Changes to pre-service programmes including the 12 + 4 programme, investments in teacher training centres, and continuous professional development (CPD) frameworks have strengthened the system. Yet, significant challenges persist. Limited access to effective CPD, high student/teacher ratios, teacher shortages, especially in rural locations, and resource constraints continue to undermine the consistency and quality of instructional practice. A contention of this paper is that for Cambodia to fulfil its SDG-4.c target relating to teacher preparedness, progress is contingent upon sustained investment, targeted support for rural and remote regions, and stronger implementation capacity to ensure all learners benefit from well-trained and effectively supported educators. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dental trauma is recognized as a global public health problem due to its prevalence and psychosocial consequences. This study aimed to verify the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in practitioners of combat sports and whether they were associated with sociodemographic and sports variables in a capital city in southeastern Brazil. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 284 athletes over 18 years of age from 17 academies that offered combat sports. Data collection was performed by a single examiner through individual interviews and a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic profile, access to oral health services, sport modality, experience with dental trauma during combat sports, mouthguard use, and guidance on dental injuries. Descriptive analyses, frequency tables, the Chi-square test (p < 0.05), and Odds Ratio were used. Results: Most participants were male (n = 203; 71.48%), aged up to 25 years (n = 75; 26.41%). The most practiced sports were Jiu-Jitsu (n = 79; 27.82%) and Kickboxing (n = 77; 27.11%). Among participants who suffered dental trauma (n = 19; 6.69%), single episodes predominated (n = 9; 47.37%), enamel fractures were most frequent (n = 7; 36.84%), and anterior teeth were the most affected (n = 9; 47.36%). Most were not using a mouthguard at the time of trauma (n = 15; 78.95%), although they considered mouthguard use important (n = 229; 80.63%), and most had not received guidance on dental trauma (n = 237; 83.45%). Age group was significantly associated with dental trauma (p = 0.016; OR = 3.33; 95% CI: 1.167–9.524). Conclusions: The prevalence of dental trauma among fighters was low. Mouthguard adherence was inconsistent, post-trauma management was inadequate, and most respondents had never received guidance on dental trauma. Public health policies should strengthen awareness and prevention of dental injuries in sports. Full article

As urban renewal progresses, transforming old industrial plants into sports service complexes has become a prevalent strategy to revitalize urban stock space. To evaluate the actual performance of this spatial reproduction from the users’ perspective, this study analyzes 3702 consumer reviews from five typical Chinese sports service complexes using an interdisciplinary text-mining framework. We employ the LDA topic model to extract core dimensions of consumer concern and utilize the DistilBERT model for fine-grained, sentence-level sentiment computation. The results reveal that consumer attention spans five key topics: venue services, cultural business districts, sports training, industrial integration, and heritage utilization. Critically, the sentiment analysis uncovers a structural paradox: while topics associated with cultural and heritage utilization trigger highly positive emotions and strong place identity, core functional modules like sports training and venue services generate substantial negative feedback. This disparity highlights a profound friction between rigid historical industrial architectural structures and the flexible demands of modern servicescapes, reflecting a clear path dependency in spatial transformation. Based on these theoretical and empirical findings, we propose targeted optimization strategies, including the structural reconstruction of training services and the flexible upgrading of basic venue facilities, to transition these complexes from initial physical construction toward long-term, service-oriented operation. Full article

This empirical study positions hotel-based sport wellness programs as structured physical activity offerings embedded in co-created guest experiences in luxury hotels in Saudi Arabia. It examines how the quality of wellness sports programs relates to guests’ satisfaction with the program, loyalty intentions toward the hotel, and self-reported physical activity orientation and intention. The construct is operationalized as guests’ perceived increase in activity during the stay and their stated intention to maintain or increase activity afterward. The study also tests the mediating roles of perceived health benefits and enjoyment, as well as the moderating role of staff health communication. Drawing on service quality and expectancy disconfirmation perspectives, together with health belief and motor learning insights, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 412 guests who had participated in structured sport-based wellness sessions during their stay in Saudi Arabian luxury hotels. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS SEM). Wellness sport program quality was positively associated with perceived health benefits, enjoyment, and program satisfaction, and both perceived health benefits and enjoyment partially mediated the quality satisfaction relationship, indicating parallel cognitive and affective pathways in the guest experience. Program satisfaction, in turn, was positively associated with guests’ loyalty intentions and their self-reported orientation toward maintaining healthier physical activity routines after their stay, while staff health communication significantly strengthened the association between program quality and perceived health benefits. These results contribute to wellness tourism and hospitality research by integrating sport pedagogy and health communication into an experience-centric framework and by clarifying how hotel-based sport wellness offerings can support satisfaction, loyalty, and self-reported physical activity orientation in an emerging tourism destination. Practical implications are offered for hotel managers seeking to design human-centered, health-oriented wellness services aligned with Vision 2030 and global physical activity promotion agendas, recognizing that the findings represent perception-based associations that are a promising foundation for future longitudinal and behavioral research. Full article

There are a wide range of possible applications for the collection and analysis of statistical data in sports, although their potential has not yet been fully exploited. This study focuses on the areas in which cognitive computing systems can offer advantages for sports organizations. Furthermore, it explores the extent to which media companies can use artificial intelligence to evaluate unstructured data and provide better services. Six semi-structured interviews with experts from the fields of sports, media, and information technology were evaluated using qualitative content analysis. This revealed the need for companies in both industries to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. The speed of decision-making can be increased by collecting and analyzing large amounts of data in real time. Furthermore, relationships can be derived that were previously hidden due to the cognitive limitations of the human brain. Based on the analysis of all dimensions of athletic ability and the facets of a player’s character, team performance can be improved. In addition, it is possible to assess the extent to which an athlete’s character is compatible with a team and with which teammates he or she is likely to be a better or worse fit. Media companies are enabled to provide sports organizations with insights from the use of cognitive applications and are transforming from media companies to service providers. Full article

Though it has been well established that a subset of collegiate student-athletes in the United States (U.S.) are not food secure, efficacious solutions for mitigating this issue appear to be elusive. This study identified system-level barriers and enablers to food security among student-athletes through the lens of collegiate athletic professionals (athletic directors, athletic trainers, sports dietitians, and strength and conditioning coaches). Using a phenomenological-informed design and constructivist theoretical framework, researchers explored the experiences and insights of participants (n = 27, Division I, northwestern U.S.) via six online focus groups July–December 2023. Categorical themes for barriers to food security were finances, culture, and competing priorities; enablers were on-campus supplemental food assistance, referrals to community services, and educational programming. A gap analysis was performed; existing solutions enabling food security and aspirational solutions for addressing food insecurity were compared, and gaps identified. Based on the insights of athletic professionals, a lack of student-athlete-centric solutions to ensure food security emerged. The introduction of shared revenue programs in American college sports may address some of food security barriers; however, additional funds may not mitigate the contribution of competing priorities and scheduling issues experienced by student-athletes. System-level changes are required to enable food security among this population. Full article

With the advancement of healthy city development, optimizing the spatial allocation of urban parks has become a key issue in territorial spatial planning. However, existing studies mainly focus on accessibility and spatial equity, with limited attention to multidimensional suitability assessment and coordinated optimization based on public health needs. Taking Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China, as a case study, this study used ArcGIS 10.8-based spatial analysis and multi-source geospatial data to classify urban park scenarios into eight categories based on public health needs: child-friendly, elderly wellness, rehabilitation and therapeutic, camping and leisure, cultural and creative, science education, scenic check-in, and outdoor sports. A four-dimensional framework integrating ecological, population vitality, accessibility, and health service function suitability was established to evaluate the suitability between park scenarios and public health needs. The results show that park scenarios exhibit significant spatial clustering with marked north–south and urban–rural disparities. Overall suitability is low, although high-density areas show better population–park matching, while health service facilities remain unevenly distributed. Based on multidimensional coordinated analysis, the 330 scenarios across 81 parks were classified into coordinated advantage, improvement, and potential zones, supporting differentiated spatial optimization and zonal governance. The proposed framework provides theoretical and practical support for health-oriented urban park planning and territorial spatial optimization. Full article

With the widespread application of IoT and AI technologies in the sports equipment manufacturing sector, traditional sports equipment manufacturers are facing challenges such as financial pressures, technological integration barriers, and the gradual reduction in government subsidies during digital transformation. To investigate the intrinsic mechanism of multi-stakeholder collaborative transformation, this paper, based on the bounded rationality assumption, incorporates the government, sports equipment manufacturers, and third-party digital service providers into a unified analytical framework. A tripartite evolutionary game model is constructed, systematically deriving the replication dynamic equations for each stakeholder under different strategies, and analyzing the stability of the system equilibrium point using the Jacobian matrix. This study shows that the sustainability of government subsidies depends on the trade-off between social benefits, administrative costs, and subsidy expenditures; whether manufacturers choose to cooperate is mainly influenced by the cost of self-purchased equipment, digital service fees, operation and maintenance risks, and residual value recovery; and the investment willingness of digital service providers depends on infrastructure construction costs, service revenue, and government support. Further simulation analysis shows that a higher initial willingness to cooperate can accelerate system convergence, a moderate capital interest rate helps balance the incentives of both supply and demand sides, excessively high core equipment prices will inhibit manufacturers’ willingness to cooperate, and reasonable digital service fees are key to achieving stable collaboration. This paper provides a theoretical basis for policy optimization, service pricing, and industrial collaborative governance in the digital transformation of the sports manufacturing industry. Full article

La Paz Bay is one of the most important destinations for recreational fishing events in Baja California Sur, Mexico, with significant tourist activity that supports ecosystem services and provides economic benefits to participants, benefits that have not yet been economically measured. The aim of this study was to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of anglers who participated in sport-fishing events and to propose tourism promotion and recreational fisheries management strategies. Applying 184 face-to-face surveys at sport fishing events in LPB held in 2022 and 2023 to collect information regarding fishers’ and fishing trips characteristics, and using the individual travel cost method to estimate the individual WTP per angler, which ranges from USD 50.96 to 625.63, and the recreational economic value of fishing events in La Paz was estimated at USD 0.89 to 1.11 million. Strategies for conserving species reserved for sport fishing and promoting tourism are discussed, which could help improve tournament activity and promote the rational use of natural resources. This study represents the first effort aiming to value sport fishing events in Mexico. Also, demonstrates the economic relevance of sport fishing events for recreational fisheries management and tourism-promoting policies in LPB. It provides evidence that conserving sport-fishing species could enhance management strategies and sustainable tourism promotion policies for this recreational activity. Full article

Anchored bored pile walls are widely used to control deformation in deep urban excavations, but their serviceability performance depends on soil stiffness, excavation depth, wall stiffness, anchor configuration, construction staging, groundwater conditions and seismic demand. This study compares three real excavation support projects in contrasting soil groups: soft to hard clay, hard to very hard clay, and dense to very dense gravel. The calculations follow a Eurocode 7-compatible Design Approach 2 framework. Static finite-element analyses, equivalent-static seismic analyses and scaled time-history analyses were compared with in situ inclinometer measurements. The seismic input included site-specific spectral parameters, horizontal acceleration coefficients, Rayleigh damping parameters and 11 scaled PEER ground-motion records. The key design insight is that increasing the number of anchor rows alone cannot compensate for low ground stiffness or limited wall stiffness; soil-structure interaction must be interpreted together with support configuration. The finite-element and measured maximum horizontal displacements were 79.97 and 75.80 mm for the sports hall excavation, 23.22 and 22.70 mm for the residential excavation, and 27.67 and 23.20 mm for the controlling square-project section. The study demonstrates the value of integrating Eurocode-based design checks, dynamic analysis and field monitoring for deep-excavation safety. Full article

Global urbanization and population aging urgently require cities to adapt to support older adults’ independence and well-being. While active mobility drives health and social equity, micro-scale proximity remains under-studied. This study evaluates ‘hyper-accessibility’ to essential daily services for older adults in Madrid and Munich, examining distributive spatial justice and its implications for healthy aging. Using quantitative spatial analysis, walking accessibility to seven key services was modeled at a strict 300 m threshold. These metrics were intersected with a sociodemographic disadvantage score to reveal urban disparities. Key findings expose structural contrasts. In Madrid, 50.82% of older adults achieve hyper-accessibility to daily services, though green areas (8.86%) and health facilities (15.82%) represent critical gaps. Conversely, Munich’s decentralized fabric yields hyper-accessibility for just 31.6% of seniors, with community centers (7.19%) and sports facilities (8.6%) being severely restricted. These spatial inequities highlight how restrictive walking thresholds function as invisible barriers to active mobility, isolating older populations. Ultimately, integrating hyper-accessibility metrics into local planning is vital for mitigating these baseline deficits and fostering age-inclusive, socially just urban environments. Full article

The present integrative umbrella review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence and practices related to mental health and career transitions in elite sport toward the implementation of service provision through digital interventions. Following PRIO guidelines, an extensive search across five databases (2015–2025) identified 52 eligible manuscripts (e.g., conceptual, review, and position studies). Data extraction focused on mental health, dual-career pathways, career transition challenges and needs, and identity-related issues among high-performance athletes. The findings revealed a strong consensus that athlete well-being is shaped by the dynamic interaction of mental health symptoms, sport-specific stressors, identity processes, and structural conditions across the athletic lifespan. Mental health vulnerabilities (e.g., anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and distress) were consistently reported, particularly during injury, deselection, and retirement. Dual-career engagement, diversified identities, and proactive career planning emerged as key protective factors, while stigma, limited literacy, and uneven access to psychological services remained persistent barriers. Five main thematic areas (Matrix 1) operationalized in ten higher-order intervention domains (e.g., Matrix 2, screening, monitoring, literacy, and others) and 14 potential online implementation strategies (Matrix 3) were identified. However, the evidence highlights fragmented implementation and a lack of scalable, cross-national tools to support athletes during and beyond their competitive careers. Therefore, a harmonized, evidence-based, multidimensional framework for the development and implementation of digital support resources has been proposed. This integrative review underscores the need for integrated, culturally sensitive, and digitally enabled support systems to promote sustainable transitions and long-term athlete well-being. Full article

Introduction: Competitive sport angling is a specialized form of recreational fishing in which participants compete in tournaments throughout the year to obtain annual rankings. In Portugal, competitive anglers may exhibit high levels of engagement and expenditure, yet the economic relevance of this activity remains poorly documented. Objective: This study aimed to assess the economic value of inland competitive angling competitions in Portugal. Methodology: Data on anglers’ annual expenditures were collected through a web-based questionnaire distributed in April 2025 by the Portuguese Federation of Sport Angling to 1,230 registered federated anglers. A total of 193 valid responses were obtained, including information on socio-demographic characteristics, angling modalities, and fishing locations, as well as expenditures on fishing equipment, travel, meals, accommodation, and willingness to pay (WTP) to ensure fish availability during competitions. Results: Extrapolation of the results to the national federated inland angler population suggests an estimated annual direct expenditure of approximately €6.7 million, ranging from €4.2 million to €9.2 million. Fishing equipment (e.g., rods, reels, boats, kayaks, and paniers) accounted for the largest share of expenditures, followed by travel, meals, and accommodation. Expenditure patterns varied according to age, angling modality, years of competitive experience, and participation in both inland and marine competitions. Most respondents (62.7%) reported being unwilling to pay additional amounts to guarantee fish availability, arguing that this responsibility should fall on the state and competition organizers given the fees already paid. Conclusions: Inland competitive sport angling appears to make a relevant contribution to economic activity associated with tourism and leisure services in Portugal and should therefore be considered in the management of inland water resources. Full article