Newsbytes
FIFA and Healthy Athletes in Africa
In 2006, three Special Olympics national Programs in Africa—Tanzania, Namibia and Botswana—were selected as pilot projects in the FIFA-Special Olympics Africa Football for Hope Project. [Editor's note: football is known as soccer in some parts of the world.] Following the successful conclusion of the Project in 2006, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) announced an extension of the project, expanding to seven other Programs—Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Uganda, South Africa and Rwanda. The development project aims to contribute to the visibility, acceptance and well-being of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Africa.
FIFA recognizes the need for healthy athletes both on and off the field, resulting in the inclusion of Healthy Athletes screenings as a project target. Hence, the project not only ensures that 250 athletes in each Program are exposed to high quality and training by federation accredited coaches, but also ensures that these 250 athletes receive health screenings in as many disciplines as possible in each country. Screenings in 2006 took place in each of the three pilot countries, and this year the screenings will accompany the annual Football for Hope Tournaments that were scheduled at the end of 2007.
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Athletes from Special Olympics South Africa participating in the Football for Hope Tournament. These athletes also received screenings in four disciplines?Opening Eyes, Special Smiles, Healthy Hearing and Health Promotion.. |
Federico Addiechi, FIFA's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, explains the idea behind the cooperation with Special Olympics: “In the framework of its Corporate Social Responsibility, and under the umbrella of the 'Football for Hope Movement', FIFA is committed to encouraging fair play in society, leading by example and showing fairness, impartiality and solidarity among all groups across the board. As clearly expressed by President Blatter at the last FIFA Congress in Marrakech, one of FIFA's priorities is to use football as a tool for human development to make a better world. To this end—and among other initiatives—FIFA has established an alliance with Special Olympics, a non-governmental organization running sport programs for people with intellectual disabilities worldwide.”
Special Olympics at American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo
In a move to increase awareness about the health status and needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and the important work Special Olympics is doing in the public health field, the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® Program bolstered its presence at the 135th American Public Health Association Annual and Meeting and Expo held in Washington, D.C., 3-7 November 2007.
Healthy Athletes staff had a chance to exhibit and share information about Healthy Athletes and program success stories, research reports and grant information.
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American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo exhibit. Photo by: Kester Edwards. |
Healthy Athletes also had a strong presence in sessions throughout the conference. Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Global Clinical Advisors (GCAs) Paul Berman, OD, FAAO, and Sandra Block, OD, MEd, FAAO, shared insight with peers from lessons learned at Healthy Athletes screenings. Paul Berman led a session entitled “Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes: A model for screening and the correction of refractive error,” and Sandra Block spoke on “Attitudes of Optometrists/Optometry Students Toward People with Intellectual Disability after Participation in Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Vision Screening.” Additionally, Stephen Corbin, DDS, MPH, Vice President of Constituent Services and Dean of Special Olympics University, sat on an oral health panel and spoke on “How Can We Make Oral Health a Much Higher National Priority: Power, Policies and Politics!”
The poster session proved to be an avenue to share information about Healthy Athletes. Dettrick Stith, PhD, presented findings from a pilot test conducted in three states titled “Special Olympics Sports Health Improvement Program (SHIP).” Co-authors included Matthew Holder, MD, MBA, Donna Bainbridge, PT, EdD, ATC, Alice Lenihan, MPH, RD, LDN, Meaghan McHugh, MPH, Ryan Murphy, MSc, MA, Mary Pittaway, MS, RD, Joan Medlen, RD, Beverly Berkin, MA, CHES, Karla Sirianni, BSc, and Stephen Corbin, DDS, MPH, to understand the effect of health on sports skills development. And Gil Herer, PhD, GCA Healthy Hearing, presented on “Intellectual Disabilities and Hearing Loss: Undetected, Un-served, Under-treated”—outcome results of 2,401 individuals with intellectual disabilities tested at three large Special Olympics events worldwide, which Dr. Herer co-authored with fellow Healthy Hearing GCA Judy K. Montgomery, PhD.
Healthy Athletes Well Represented at WHO International Conference in Thailand
Healthy Athletes® was on display at the recent 2nd International Conference on Intellectual Disabilities/Mental Retardation co-sponsored by the World Health Organization in Bangkok on 6-8 November. This conference highlighted the release of the first Atlas: Global Resources for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities which aims to map resources and services for people with intellectual disabilities around the world. Leaders of many academic, governmental and nongovernmental organizations were present for this important meeting, which focused on the right to health of persons with intellectual disabilities and on resources for improving this population's health worldwide.
Darcie Mersereau, MPH, Senior Manager of Research and Evaluation at Special Olympics International, presented a poster combining Healthy Athletes data from Special Olympics World Games in Ireland (2003), Japan (2005) and China (2007).
Some highlights of the data, which were presented both globally and by region:
- 42 percent of athletes attending the past three World Games had obvious signs of untreated tooth decay (n=7642 athletes)
- 36 percent of athletes had last had an eye exam three or more years ago (n=5393 athletes)
- 19 percent of athletes failed the Pure Tone hearing test (n=6301 athletes)
Ms. Mersereau had useful discussions with conference attendees about the importance of the Healthy Athletes data in documenting the health disparities faced by persons with intellectual disabilities. This presentation highlighted the ability to track health disparities of athletes and was considered important by those attendees for local advocacy purposes.
Healthy Athletes Program presentations and discussions at scientific and policy-oriented conferences should continue to be highlighted. This effort will help increase awareness that Special Olympics is a public health organization as well as a sports organization, and ensure that data is used to improve policies and secure additional funding.
Please share information about any presentations you have made related to Healthy Athletes or intellectual disabilities by e-mailing Jessica Beauchemin at jbeauchemin@specialolympics.org
Health Literacy Focus Groups
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Materials tested during the focus groups included the Health Promotion athlete brochures. |
As a follow-up to the March 2007 Health Literacy Conference, nine focus groups were conducted in the United States to research how “health literate” current Healthy Athletes materials for Special Olympics athletes are. Working with Healthy Athletes coordinators in Connecticut, Minnesota, Missouri, and Texas, focus groups were conducted with athletes and caregivers to assess athletes' understanding of the health information presented in brochures and to identify additional options to better communicate health behaviors.
Key findings were suggestions to increase visual information to help athletes comprehend health messages, explore interactive options and use multiple communication channels.
If you are interested in receiving a copy of the full report, including the detailed findings, please contact Jessica Beauchemin, Senior Manager for Health and Research Communications, at jbeauchemin@specialolympics.org
Opening Eyes Pilots Young Athletes Comprehensive Eye Examination
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A young athlete from China gets his vision screened at the Healthy Athletes Village during the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai. Photo by: Kester Edwards |
Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes vision program recently launched the Young Athletes™ pilot project—first in New Jersey and later in Shanghai. The Young Athletes Program was created for children with intellectual disabilities, ages 2-7. Special Olympics began Young Athletes as a program to address motor skill development in this younger age group with the hopes that these children would become Special Olympics athletes when they became eligible at age 8. Opening Eyes created a new approach by providing a comprehensive eye examination rather than a screening. The protocols have been expanded to include options for nonverbal and younger children along with the intention of diagnosing vision problems. These young athletes will be seen along with their parents or caregivers to increase the communication of the findings of the exam. The program is addressing the philosophy that early interventions will yield better visual outcomes.
During the program, each Young Athlete is paired with a single eye-care provider for the entire exam rather than moving the athlete around a series of stations. There were five Young Athletes seen in New Jersey and more than 20 during the demonstration in Shanghai.
The goal will be to bring the program to Young Athletes on a local level, worldwide.
Return to Healthy Athletes Update, Winter 2007
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