Prevalence and Factors Associated with Pre-Participation Health Screening among Runners in Thailand
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Abstract
Background: Running is highly popular in Thailand, yet the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in runners with underlying conditions remains a concern. Pre-participation health screening is crucial, but data in the Thai context is lacking.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of having undergone pre-participation screening and associated factors, combined with an assessment of health risks using the PAR-Q+ questionnaire.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 394 runners at a running event in Nakhon Phanom. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, and associations were analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.
Results: Only 3.05% of runners had undergone pre-participation health screening, significantly lower than the 25.38% classified as "high risk" by PAR-Q+. The primary risks identified were hypertension and musculoskeletal problems. Although 92.64% agreed with mandatory screening, actual screening practice was significantly associated with education level (p < 0.001) and income (p = 0.010), whereas health risk status showed no correlation (p = 1.000).
Conclusion: Thai runners face high health risks but have low access to screening, limited by socioeconomic factors. Promoting accessible preliminary screening tools is therefore essential to reduce adverse events from running.
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