Education and Screening of the Female Athlete Triad in the Adolescent Population

Abstract

The Female Athlete Triad was first identified in 1992, yet the majority of primary care providers are unaware of the signs and symptoms and proper screening for the syndrome. The purpose of this study was to implement screening for symptoms of the female athlete triad with female adolescent athletes. The primary measured outcome was the diagnosis of the female athlete triad using the Female Athlete Screening Tool. Secondary measures included provider satisfaction of understanding and diagnosing the triad, body mass index, injury history, Tanner staging, and diet. Also, pre and post education was provided to primary care providers on the diagnosis of the female athlete triad. The providers answered questions from the Provider’s Satisfaction Scale. The quasi-experimental study included 11 participants between the ages of 13-18 at a Midwest pediatric primary care practice during Fall 2019 and Spring 2020. One participant was found to be at high risk for developing the female athlete triad and two others were at risk. Six providers from the pediatric practice participated in education on the female athlete triad and a two percent increase in knowledge was discovered at post testing. The evidence and findings indicate that providers should screen for the female athlete triad with their female athlete patients. Recognition of the syndrome early could mitigate both short and long term consequences. Short term consequences include disordered eating that can lead to anorexia and long-term consequences include amenorrhea that can lead to osteoporosis.