Pilot evaluation of the impacts of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes→ screening events on referral, follow-up and health behavior of Special Olympics athletes

Special Olympics designed the Healthy Athletes® program to provide its athletes with health screenings and referrals for follow-up care when needed. In fall 2007, we contacted athletes who attended Special Olympics Healthy Athlete® screenings in early summer in three states. We interviewed 109 athletes and 208 parents, coaches, care staff and others who represented them. The interviews addressed attendance at Special Smiles®, Opening Eyes®, and Healthy Hearing® screenings. Many athletes reported attendance at all three venues. While many athletes received treatment services at the screenings (e.g., medication for ear wax removal, prescription lenses), nearly 1/3 of the athletes from each screening received recommendations to see a practitioner when they returned home. This outcome is significant as many responders noted that without the screenings, they would not have become aware of the health problems detected. We learned that approximately 40% of parents, coaches, teachers, etc. attended the screenings. We also found that their attendance was key to their knowledge of the results of the screenings and likely related to the rate of follow-up on referrals received at the screenings. Most athletes who spoke for themselves also were usually aware of the results and the data indicate that similarly, such awareness likely affected rate of follow-up to referral. These results are consistent with another finding: that communication with the athletes was usually clear and easily understood. This presentation will focus on these and additional findings of the study and on key recommendations for improving outcomes of these screening events.