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A newly released study has revealed the profound effect of the COVID-19 pandemic had on community sport in Australia, disrupting training, participation, competitions and social connections.

These disruptions were particularly noticeable in community clubs, where participation dropped significantly during the height of restrictions.

As restrictions have lifted, the study, published in BMC Public Health, explains that it’s crucial to understand how these changes have impacted the health of Australian adults who were involved in club sports before and during the pandemic.

Self-assessed health of adult Australian sport club participants during and after COVID-19 restrictions: a longitudinal study set out to explore the long-term effects of the pandemic on the health of adult sports participants, tracking the physical and mental health of individuals involved in club sports, focusing on the period during and after COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

The Importance of Participation
The study shows clear patterns regarding sport participation and health.

Physical and General Health: Respondents who continued to participate in community sport throughout the pandemic, or those who returned to it by 2021, reported better physical and overall health compared to those who dropped out. This trend was consistent across a range of demographic groups, including gender, age, and region of residence.

Mental Health: Interestingly, the study found only a weak link between sport participation and mental health. While the research did find some associations between continued participation and better mental health, only one of 14 comparisons showed a statistically significant result. This is in contrast to previous studies, which have often highlighted a stronger link between physical activity and improved mental well-being. The lack of a stronger association in this study could be due to the broader mental health challenges posed by the pandemic, including isolation and uncertainty.

The Need for Continued Participation
The results from this study highlight the significant role that continued or returned participation in community sport can play in improving physical and general health. Those who maintained their involvement in sports during the pandemic, or returned to play once restrictions eased, saw marked improvements in their health outcomes.

However, the findings also suggest that mental health may be influenced by a wider array of factors, particularly in the context of a global health crisis. While sport participation did show some benefits for mental well-being, it was not as strongly associated with mental health as physical health.

For sports management, this study underscores the importance of encouraging ongoing participation and creating strategies to retain players in community sports. It’s clear that the benefits of sport extend beyond the playing field - community sports are a critical part of promoting not just physical fitness, but also the overall well-being of Australians.

Methodology
The study was conducted through two waves of an online survey, one in mid-2020 and the second in mid-2021. The first survey also captured data from 2019, providing a baseline to compare the impact of the pandemic. The survey gathered insights from participants on their overall, physical, and mental health, and categorised them based on whether they continued playing, returned to playing, or dropped out of their sport during the pandemic.

The study included 1,037 respondents, all aged 18 and above.

Click here to read the full Self-assessed health of adult Australian sport club participants during and after COVID-19 restrictions: a longitudinal study as published in BMC Public Health.

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