Sarah Partington

Mid-life nuances and negotiations: narrative maps and the social construction of mid-life in sport and physical activity

This paper adopts a narrative perspective on the study of mid-life experiences in sport. Different types of stories about sporting mid-life are identified and discussed. Drawing upon the concept of narrative mapping, the potential of these stories to serve as narrative maps for those approaching mid-life is considered. Data from an interview study with 26 participants aged between 35 and 55 years of age, from badminton, distance running, outdoor activities and health clubs is provided. Paradigmatic and structural analyses were conducted on the data in order to identify story types and predominant narrative themes. The findings revealed a master narrative for mid-life in sport, which is that ‘age is a state of mind’. In addition two further narratives were apparent. One, ‘life begins at forty’ was a counter-narrative, which depicted mid-life as a time of rejuvenation and an opportunity to revisit the experiences of youth. The other was an antithesis narrative, which focused upon acceptance of the ageing process and the notion of ‘growing old gracefully’. Sportsmen and women linked their own stories to these idealised narrative types, but via a process of narrative slippage, created their own personal narratives of sporting mid-life. Analysis of these personal narratives indicated that there are three different maps for an individual negotiating sporting mid-life.

The relationship between membership of a university sports group and drinking behaviour among students at English Universities

Aims: The primary aim is to compare members of UK university sport groups with students not engaged in UK university sport in terms of alcohol consumption and risk for alcohol-related harm. A secondary aim is to compare alcohol consumption levels and alcohol-related problems in UK university athletes in different sports and at different competitive levels. Method: A cross-sectional survey using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and a demographic questionnaire was carried out with a purposive sample of 770 undergraduates (298 male, 471 female) from seven UK universities. Results: University sport members (n = 181) had a median AUDIT score of 11.5 (interquartile range (IQR) = 8) compared to students not engaged in university sport (n = 588) median AUDIT score of 8 (IQR = 11). The difference between medians was highly significant (p < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the median scores of members of team (n = 103, median = 13, IQR = 8) and individual sports (median = 8, IQR = 11), with team sports members scoring higher on the AUDIT (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences on median AUDIT scores between athletes competing at different levels. Conclusions: Levels of alcohol-related risk and harm are high in members of UK university sport groups. University sports members particularly team sports may be an ‘at risk group’ for alcohol-related problems and require targeted interventions. Further research is warranted comparing these student groups, and the relationship between sport type, participation level and alcohol consumption.

Stressors and Coping Strategies of UK Firefighters during On-duty Incidents

Operational response by firefighters requires an abrupt change from rest to near-maximal physical effort and incorporates almost instant stress management that must be made during extreme heat, limited time and partial information, yet little is known about the coping strategies incorporated to manage the physiological and psychological demands associated with this environment. A sample of 22 UK firefighters took part in focus groups identifying frequently used coping techniques based upon problem-focused and emotion-focused coping methods. Findings suggest problem-orientated coping comprised half of the total coping strategies quoted by participants, with a third of responses being categorized as emotion-focused methods, and 17% were considered to be both problem-focused and emotion-focused techniques. Responses indicate problem-focused methods are often utilized en route to the incident, and at the early stages of operational tasks. Emotion-focused responses are more common during periods of fatigue and exhaustion and post-incident, and problem-focused and emotion-focused techniques were found post-incident, although there was often an overlap between methods and they perhaps should not be treated as three distinct stages. The importance of peer support and potential benefits to firefighter well-being and operational performance are discussed.

Psychophysiological responses in experienced firefighters undertaking repeated self-contained breathing apparatus tasks

In order to safely and effectively extinguish fires and rescue life, firefighters are required to routinely wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), yet little is known about the specific physiological and psychological demands associated with repeated exposure to tasks that require SCBA. A total of 12 experienced firefighters took part in a series of commonly encountered SCBA activities: free search, guideline search and live firefighting tasks under room temperature (∼20°C) and extreme heat (∼180°C) conditions to assess changes in heart rate, blood pressure, mood, perceived workload and air usage. Findings demonstrate that live firefighting is associated with greater perceived exhaustion than free search or guideline exercises; however, all tasks lead to high cardiovascular demand regardless of the presence of heat. No significant impact of task upon mood and no significant differences between the perceived demands of guideline, free search and live firefighting exercises were found. Practitioner Summary: This study considered the physiological and psychological responses of firefighters undertaking SCBA exercises. Although live firefighting is associated with greater perceived exertion, the absence of differences in psychological domains between exercises demonstrates that task demands are not always dependent upon the presence of fire and that all tasks are mentally challenging.

Anxiety, stress and perceived workload during the command and control of computer simulated fire service training environments

Purpose – Incidents requiring command and control require all personnel from firefighters (FFs) to the incident commander (IC) to make continuous decisions often with limited information and under acute time-pressure. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the stress reactivity of specific roles during the command and control of an immersive, computer-based incident. Design/methodology/approach – Experienced firefighting personnel undergoing incident command training participated in this study. Participants completed measures of state anxiety and stress immediately before and after taking part in a computer-based simulation of a large-scale incident run in real time. During the simulation personnel assumed one of four roles: IC, sector commander, entry control officer (ECO), and command support officer. Following the simulation personnel then completed measures of perceived workload. Findings – No significant changes in state anxiety were observed, but levels of stress and perceived workload w...

Retrospective cohort study of the South Tyneside Exercise Referral Scheme 2009–14 : predictors of dropout and barriers to adherence.

Background Exercise Referral Schemes (ERS) are a prevalent method of increasing physical activity levels. However, they suffer from participant dropout and research predicting dropout or barriers to adherence are limited. This study aimed to focus upon the effect of referral characteristics on dropout, dropout predictors and whether self‐reported barriers to exercise predict dropout. Methods ERS data from 2009 to 2014 were retrieved for analysis. Chi‐squared and t‐tests were used to investigate differences between referral characteristics, and logistic regression used to investigate dropout predictors. Results Of 6894 participants, 37.8% (n = 2608) dropped out within 6 weeks and 50.03% (n = 3449) by the final 12th week. More males adhered (P < 0.001) with dropouts being significantly younger (P < 0.001). Dropout predictors were smoking (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.29‐1.93) or being a Tier 3 referral (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.25‐1.73). Increasing age (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.98‐0.99), drinking alcohol (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71‐0.95), secondary care referrals (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52‐0.90), having a lack of motivation (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.69‐0.95) or a lack of childcare (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.50‐0.95) decreased the likelihood of dropout. Conclusion ERS dropout continues to be problematic. Smoking and having moderate‐high comorbidities predicted dropout. Increasing age and patient‐reported barriers of a lack of time or childcare decreased dropout risk. The reasons for dropout require further investigation.