Psychological responses to occupational injury in British horseracing staff

Davies, Emma

Abstract

Background: Horseracing perpetuates a negative injury culture, with staff reporting lack of support provision, stigma, presenteeism and high rates of injury. In 2019, recommendations to review injury impact on horseracing employees were identified, yet, despite implementation of recent occupational health initiatives, injury experiences in this workforce have not been explored.
Aim: The aim of this thesis was to investigate the psychological responses to injury in British horseracing stud and stable staff.
Methods: A mixed-methods explanatory sequential-dependent study design was employed. Study 1 determined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on working practices in British horseracing staff using survey data, to contextualise ensuing studies. Study 2 surveyed the workforce for injury prevalence, risk factors, and coping strategies. Study 3 interviewed 12 horseracing staff on their lived injury experiences, and thematic analysis was undertaken. Study 4 conducted dialogical narrative analysis on the interview transcripts determining preliminary injury typologies, presented to industry in focus groups to gather feedback.
Results: In Study 1, most horseracing staff worked similar hours during the COVID-19 pandemic but working demands had increased due to social distancing and a reduced workforce. Study 2a identified musculoskeletal injuries, back pain, and concussion as the most prevalent injuries experienced by horseracing staff, with injury eliciting physical, mental, occupational, and financial effects on employees. Injured horseracing staff reported greater anxiety and depression than general injured workers, and stigma associated with help-seeking and injury reporting from Study 2b. Themes arising from Study 3 aligned to individual injury experiences: injury impact, emotional responses, injury management, and barriers to help-seeking. Four injury typologies were developed and discussed with industry in Study 4: performance, something to prove, betrayal, and trauma.
Conclusions: Horseracing staff experience comparable psychological responses to injury as to those identified in other athletic and vocational industries. The results present strong evidence of a horseracing injury culture influencing injury attitudes, reporting behaviours, help-seeking and presenteeism within the workforce. Recommendations to industry stakeholders include the development and implementation of education and training provision, further work on reviewing industry practices, and continued expansion of current occupational health provision.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Sep 21, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: May 22, 2025
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/12900106
• Citations for Published Sections: Literature Review: (Appendix B): Davies, E., McConn-Palfreyman, W., Williams, J.M. and Lovell, G.P., (2021). A narrative review of the risk factors and psychological consequences of injury in horseracing stable staff. Comparative Exercise Physiology, 17(4
• Award Date: May 22, 2025