title: The incidence and patterns of illness at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games: a prospective cohort study of 6564 athlete days.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiology of illness at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 547 athletes from 45 countries were monitored daily for 12 days over the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games (6564 athlete days). Illness data were obtained daily from teams without their own medical support (13 teams, 37 athletes) and teams with their own medical support (32 teams, 510 athletes) through electronic data capturing systems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of illnesses reported was 123, with an illness incidence rate (IR) of 18.7 per 1000 athlete days (95% CI 15.1% to 23.2%). The highest IR was reported for wheelchair curling (IR of 20.0 (95% CI 10.1% to 39.6%)). Illnesses in the respiratory system (IR of 5.6 (95% CI 3.8% to 8.0%)), eye and adnexa (IR of 2.7 (95% CI 1.7% to 4.4%)) and digestive system (IR of 2.4 (95% CI 1.4% to 4.2%)) were the most common. Older athletes (35-63 years) had a significantly higher IR than younger athletes (14-25 years, p=0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that Paralympic athletes report higher illness incidence rates compared to Olympic athletes at similar competitions. The highest rates of illness were reported for the respiratory and digestive systems, eye and adnexa, respectively. Thus, the results of this study form a basis for the identification of physiological systems at higher risk of illness, which can in turn inform illness prevention and management programmes with eventual policy change to promote athlete safety in future editions of the Winter Paralympic Games.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Department of Surgery, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa International Olympic Committee (IOC) Research Centre, Cape Town, South Africa Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Derman
authors.affiliation: International Olympic Committee (IOC) Research Centre, Cape Town, South Africa Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Institute for Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Schwellnus
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Unit, Statistics and Population Studies Department, Medical Research Council of South Africa, University of the Western Cape, Parow, South Africa.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jordaan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Department of Surgery, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Runciman
authors.affiliation: Medical & Scientific Department, International Paralympic Committee, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van de Vliet
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blauwet
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), University of Brighton, Eastbourne, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Webborn
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Willick
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Medicine, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stomphorst
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012426:Russia; D038161:Snow Sports / Q000293:injuries*; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064846:Sports for Persons with Disabilities / Q000502:physiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Athlete; Disability; Illness