Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention after the Game Ends: The Emerging Role of Certified Health Education Specialists in Wellness Coaching for Retired College Student-Athletes. Issue 6 (2nd November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stellefson, Michael; Wang, Min Qi; Apperson, Avery; Bopp, Trevor; Zhang, Linxi
• Is Part Of: American journal of health education. Volume 50:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 339
• Page End: 343
• Publication Date: 2019-11-02
• Subjects: Health education -- United States -- Periodicals; School hygiene -- Study and teaching -- United States -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; 371
• DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2019.1662347
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1932-5037

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Former college student-athletes encounter unique health-related challenges following athletic retirement. Many retired student-athletes adopt sedentary lifestyles that can lead to long-term health problems, while others struggle to maintain good mental health due to issues associated with resolving their own athletic identity. Retired student-athletes who are able to successfully transfer their athletic identity into life after college sports are less likely to engage in chronic disease risk behaviors. Unfortunately, there is a relative lack of personal health and wellness programs for this vulnerable subgroup of the college population, which is concerning given the large number and high proportion of retired college student-athletes who are highly susceptible to chronic health issues. It is important that appropriate resources are made available to dissuade retired student-athletes from living unhealthy lifestyles, while at the same time encouraging them to actively pursue wellness following college. Currently, there is a unique opportunity to improve holistic wellness among retired college student-athletes through "coaching" them to live healthy lifestyles after their athletic career is over. Certified Health Education Specialists can play a key role in planning, implementing, and evaluating multi-dimensional wellness coaching programs that address the unmet health promotion needs of retired college student-athletes. A AJHE Self-Study quiz is online for this article via the SHAPE America Online Institute (SAOI) http://portal.shapeamerica.org/trn-Webinars