SPORTS-RELATED SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH: DEVELOPING A VALID AND RELIABLE SCREENING TOOL

M. Al.Rayes^1,2, M. A. Husain¹

¹University of Bahrain, Physiotherapy, Manama, Bahrain, ²Sh.Jabber Health Center, Physiotherapy, Manama, Bahrain

Background: Sport-Related Sudden Cardiac Death (SSCD) is a leading cause of mortality in the athletic population. It is a tragic and emotionally impacting event generating considerable attention in the community and media. It has been recognized that sport-related SSCD is substantially higher in specific populations such as males compared to females, African Americans compared to Caucasians, athletes compared to non-athletes, and people with genetic and familial factors compared to people without those factors. Cardiovascular pre-participation screening can be lifesaving. Yet, there are no definite recommendations or guidelines to specify who should be screened and how they should be screened.

Purpose: The main objective of the current study is developing a valid and reliable self-administered screening tool that help in early detection of SSCD risks.

Methods: The questionnaire is designed based on several international questionnaires related to pre-participation screening. It aims to identify risk factors, signs, and symptoms of SSCD, family history, drugs, and supplements. Moreover, it was validated by obtaining the opinions of six professional experts in the field. Moreover, a pilot study was performed on ten licensed physiotherapists. The different aspects of validity and reliability were tested.

Results: Content validity was obtained through using a well-established international screening tools. Face validation was obtained through assessment of the developed questionnaire by group of experts, 10 physiotherapists, and specialized cardiologist. EFA test analysis for construct validity was done based on the expert’s opinions, the average of their opinions on the clarity and relatedness of questions were acceptable (more than 4.5). The communalities values were above 0.79 indicating excellent results. Finally, Cronbach’s alpha test was used for internal consistency, it was 0.692, which is remarkably close to the minimally accepted value of 0.70 indicating adequate internal consistency.

Conclusions: The developed questionnaire was valid and reliable and may be useful to use in measuring the prevalence of SSCD risk factors.

Implications: Using the current developed screening tool could help in future pre-participation screening programs especially in non-professional athletes.

Funding acknowledgements: It is funded as part of Master degree fullfilments in University of Bahrain

Keywords:
Sports-Related Sudden Cardiac Death (SSCD)
Exercise
Screening

Topics:
Sport & sports injuries
Cardiorespiratory
Professional practice: other

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of Bahrain

Committee: Research and Ethics Committee

Ethics number: No 10/2020-21, dated 23rd February 2021