Balancing Conservation with Sports: Sustainability Challenges and Solutions

Abstract/Description

Asthma, a respiratory disease that inflames and obstructs airways, is prevalent in cross-country skiers at a much higher rate than the general population due to the high exertion of skiers in cold temperatures and poor air quality environments. The high rate of asthma is expectably responsible for high rates of inhaler use among cross-country skiers; this has created debate about inhaler use due to the doping abilities of some inhaler drugs.

This study interviewed elite cross-country skiers on the interconnected topics of respiratory health, inhaler use, and air quality to give a voice to the affected population and to add a qualitative outlook to existing quantitative literature on these topics. Responses were transcribed and then descriptively and inductively coded to identify common themes and highlight outliers. Responses allow for the perception of skiers on inhaler regulation, doping, and use, training adaptation methods for poor air quality, and both personal and general respiratory issues related to the sport to be understood. The majority of interviewed skiers connected air pollution and cold temperature exposure, especially at a young age, with the development and exacerbation of respiratory issues and the subsequent use of inhalers. Some responses and themes reveal new literature gaps on respiratory health in cross-country skiing and athletics in general; these gaps demand further research.

Abstract/Description

Accessible tourism in mountain areas of Poland is developing from the bottom up. People with disabilities, their families and volunteers are organizing themselves into groups of support. Their aim is to break physical barriers and show that disability is not a problem for anyone to become a tourist in mountain areas and make dreams of climbing highest peaks come true (including Mt. Rysy 2499 m). In the meantime first mountain hiking trails in Poland are becoming adapted to the needs of people with visual impairment or people using wheelchairs. People with disabilities constitute 14,3% of the Polish population. There is still much to be done to include this group of society in planning the development of tourism on national and regional levels. In my PhD dissertation I want to identify opportunities to increase the accessibility of mountain areas in Poland for the tourism needs of people with disabilities.