Psychological and Mental Sequelae in Elite Athletes with Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review

Valerio Flavio Corona, Maria Rosaria Gualano (), Maria Francesca Rossi, Angelica Valz Gris, Carlotta Amantea, Umberto Moscato and Walter Ricciardi
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Valerio Flavio Corona: Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Maria Rosaria Gualano: School of Medicine, UniCamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
Maria Francesca Rossi: Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Occupational Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Angelica Valz Gris: Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Carlotta Amantea: Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Occupational Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Umberto Moscato: Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Walter Ricciardi: Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-7

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many athletes from several sporting disciplines were infected with the SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current scientific evidence on the psychological sequelae and mental health of elite athletes who have been infected by the virus. The review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement; three databases were searched: PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus. The initial search resulted in 2420 studies; after duplicate removal and screening by title and abstract, 41 articles were screened by full-text. A total of four eligible articles were included in the review. All included articles measured depression and anxiety in athletes who had suffered from COVID-19, while in three papers levels of stress were measured. Overall, the only two questionnaires used in more than one study were the DASS-21 and the APSQ. In our systematic review, we highlighted that mental and psychological health in elite athletes has the same importance as physical health. This statement suggests that these examinations should be introduced and performed during the competitive sports’ medical examinations conducted at the start of the sporting season, which currently consists only of the examination of physical parameters. Due to lack of studies on the topic, the results of our review show that mental health in athletes with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection is an issue that requires more investigation, considering the evidence of clinical consequences. The importance of post-infection psychological sequelae is significant in assessing possible repercussions on the athletes’ sporting performance.

Keywords: COVID-19; post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection; mental health; psychological stress; elite athletes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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