Mental Health in Elite Athletes: A Systematic Review of Suicidal Behaviour as Compared to the General Population

ConclusionThis review suggests that elite athletes generally demonstrate reduced risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide completion compared to the general population. Coaches should remain aware of specific factors, such as male sex, non-white race, and higher athletic level, in order to better identify at-risk athletes. Limitations of this review include the heterogeneity in the methodology and athlete populations across the included studies. Therefore, future targeted research is essential to compare suicide behaviour between sports and identify sport-specific suicide risk factors.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO Registration: CRD42023395990.
Source: Sports Medicine - Category: Sports Medicine Source Type: research