title: Assessing the Awareness and Behaviors of U.S. High School Nurses With Respect to the Female Athlete Triad.
abstract: Female high school athletes are an at-risk population for the Female Athlete Triad-a syndrome including low energy availability (with or without disordered eating), menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. School nurses can play an important role in reducing the health burden of this syndrome, by educating coaches and athletes, and by referring symptomatic student-athletes to appropriate community resources for evaluation and treatment. This study assessed knowledge, attitudes, communication, and referral behaviors of U.S. high school nurses about the Female Athlete Triad. Participants were a random sample of 370 U.S. high school nurses. The results indicated that only 19% of the nurses were able to identify the three components of the Triad and only 25% reported that they work proactively with coaches to help prevent health issues among their female athletes. Over 95% expressed interest in learning more about the Triad. Implications for educational program design are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA Sport Science Institute, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, IN, USA emk329@mail.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kroshus
authors.affiliation: Division of Sports Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Anastasia N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA School of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jeanne F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D053716:Female Athlete Triad Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012573:School Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States
keywords: athlete health; eating disorders; high school; school nurse knowledge