Assessment of adverse events and near-misses during voluntary sports by Japanese middle-aged and older adults: 14-month prospective study

Abstract

This study aimed to prospectively record the occurrence of adverse events and near-misses during sports in middle-aged and older adults who voluntarily engaged in sports in the community and to clarify the frequency and characteristics of such events. Participants were comprised of 14 groups (14 sports) of middle-aged and older adults who voluntarily played sports in Sakae Ward, Yokohama. The follow-up period was 14 months (November 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023). Representatives of the target groups reported once a month to Sakae Ward via postcards regarding the status of their activities and the occurrence of adverse events and near-misses. The survey items included the age of the main participants in each group, number of activities during the month, duration of each activity, number of participants per activity, adverse events, and near-misses during sports. During the 14-month observation, eight adverse events and two near-misses were reported in the 14 groups, mainly comprising middle-aged and older adults. Of the eight adverse events, four were falls, all occurring in those aged ≥70 years and triggered by environmental problems. In this study, there were only two near-misses compared to eight adverse events, suggesting that the participants may have been unaware of near-misses. Therefore, even for sports played by groups of residents, it is important to identify risks by assessing health conditions prior to exercise and to implement initiatives to foster safety awareness among participants, such as hazard prediction training.