High rates of respiratory illnesses upon arrival: lessons from Team USA at the Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the incidence and characteristics of injuries and illnesses among Team USA athletes competing at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games (PAG) and Parapan American Games (PPAG), with a particular focus on the incidence of respiratory illnesses and on injuries for sports new to the Olympic and Paralympic programmes.

Methods: Illnesses and injuries occurring among the 870 Team USA athletes competing in the Santiago 2023 PAG or PPAG were documented within Team USA's Injury and Illness Surveillance system. Illness and injury incidence per 1000 athlete-days (ADs) and incidence ratios (IR) were calculated, both with 95% CIs.

Results: Illness (IR 2.5, 95% CI 1.6, 3.9) and injury (IR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3, 2.5) rates were greater during PPAG compared with PAG. Illness rates were higher in the pre-opening ceremony period compared with the competition period for both PAG (IR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1, 5.9) and PPAG (IR 1.9, 95% CI 0.9, 3.8). Respiratory illness was the most common illness with 3.2% and 8.9% of all Team USA athletes reporting a respiratory illness during the PAG and PPAG, respectively. Sports that are relatively new to the Olympic/Paralympic programmes exhibited the highest injury rates during the Games: breaking (250.0 (91.7, 544.2) per 1000 ADs), Para taekwondo (93.8 (19.3, 274.0) per 1000 ADs) and surfing (88.9 (24.2, 227.6) per 1000 ADs).

Conclusion: Respiratory illness rates were the most common type of illness during both PAG and PPAG and were more likely to occur prior to competition starting. Our data have identified high injury risk populations (breaking, surfing, Para taekwondo) and timing (pre-opening ceremony period) for further risk factor analysis.