Self-Report Health Screening Tools in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review of Domain Coverage, Validation, and Use Across Participation Levels.

Authors

Charlotte Steele, Matthew H Simpson, Emily Jacobs, Natalia Galan-Lopez, Lee Taylor, Bryna C R Chrismas

Published in

Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). Sep 04, 2026. Epub Sep 04, 2026.

Abstract

Female athlete health encompasses multiple interconnected domains; however, the self-report screening tools used to assess these domains have not been comprehensively synthesised.
To systematically identify self-report health screening tools used to assess female athlete health, map domain coverage, determine validation reporting, and describe application across participation levels.
This systematic review was pre-registered with PROSPERO ( CRD420251056910 ) and conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Four databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science) were searched from inception to January 2026 using female health and screening-related terms. Methodological quality was appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute and National Institutes of Health tools, and findings were synthesised descriptively. Eligible, peer-reviewed studies reported the use, development or validation of self-report health screening tools assessing one or more domains relevant to female health applied in female athlete populations, spanning recreational through elite participation levels. All sports and activities were included. The search was restricted to English language with no date limits.
In total, 360 studies (1990-2026) representing 134,506 female participants spanning recreational to elite sport and 273 screening tools were included. Mental health (n = 77, 34.1%), disordered eating (n = 33, 14.6%) and body image (n = 30, 13.3%) predominated. Domains related to female health, including menstrual health, pelvic floor health, pregnancy/postpartum and breast health were comparatively underrepresented. Most studies reported tools were used for risk identification (n = 323, 80.3%). Validation reporting was inconsistent, with half (n = 180, 50%) reporting use of at least one validated tool. Tool use was concentrated in professional and elite sport, with limited inclusion of recreational, masters and disability athlete cohorts. Health literacy constructs were explicitly assessed in 12.5% of studies (n = 45).
Health screening in female athlete populations remains fragmented and uneven in domain coverage, with inconsistent validation reporting. Development of integrated, multi-domain and contextually inclusive screening frameworks is warranted.

PMID:
42698044
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Sep 2026.

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