Analysis of recall bias of information on soccer injuries in adolescents

Abstract Aims: to analyze the recall bias of injury characteristics, anthropometric variables, and training variables in a morbidity survey in adolescent soccer players for a period of four months. Method: cohort study with 198 adolescent male soccer players, divided into two parts: a prospective study over four months, followed by a retrospective study. A morbidity survey containing personal and training data, in addition to information on injuries and their characteristics (anatomical site, mechanism, nature, moment, severity, return to activities and recurrence) was administered weekly for four months, after which the questionnaire was applied again questioning the same information retrospectively for the four-month prospective study period. The data were collected through interviews addressing the occurrence of injuries and respective characteristics. Results: there were weak correlations and concordances for the recall of the occurrence of injury and all related variables. However, regarding the information relating to personal and training data, moderate correlations were observed for the variables height, time of training, weekly hours, absences, and position, as well as excellent correlations for body mass. Conclusions: we observed recall bias in all information about the characteristics of the injuries reported by adolescent soccer players.

摘要 研究目的：分析为期4个月的青少年足球运动员伤病调查中，伤病特征、人体测量学（anthropometric）变量及训练变量的回忆偏倚。
研究方法：本研究为队列研究（cohort study），纳入198名青少年男性足球运动员，分为两个阶段：首先开展为期4个月的前瞻性研究（prospective study），随后开展回顾性研究（retrospective study）。研究人员在4个月随访周期内每周发放一次伤病调查问卷，问卷内容涵盖个人与训练相关数据，以及损伤及其特征信息（包括损伤解剖部位、致伤机制、损伤性质、发生时机、严重程度、恢复活动情况及复发情况）；在4个月前瞻性研究结束后，再次发放同一问卷，要求受试者对该4个月周期内的相关信息进行回顾性填报。数据通过访谈方式收集，以了解损伤发生情况及对应特征。
研究结果：对于损伤发生情况及所有相关变量的回忆，仅存在较弱的相关性与一致性。然而在个人与训练数据相关信息方面，身高、训练时长、周训练小时数、缺勤情况及场上位置等变量呈现中等程度相关性，而体重则呈现极佳相关性。
研究结论：本研究观察到，青少年足球运动员报告的所有伤病特征信息均存在回忆偏倚。