Concussion education perceptions among secondary school athletic trainers.

PURPOSE: Describe concussion education perceptions among secondary school athletic trainers and determine the relationship between education program characteristics and perceived effectiveness. METHODS: Two hundred and three participants completed at least one survey item (age = 35.2 ± 9.4 years; male = 27.6%). We used descriptive statistics to describe concussion education characteristics and point out biserial correlations to determine if relationships existed between concussion education characteristics and perceived effectiveness. RESULTS: The most frequently used mandated concussion education programs were informational handouts created by the state interscholastic association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Heads Up materials, and the National Federation of State High School Athletic Association's materials. The CDC's Heads Up materials, handouts created by the state interscholastic association, and in-person presentations created by respondents were the most frequent concussion educational programs utilized by respondents who indicated no specific program mandated. Educational programs that were engaging increased perceived effectiveness (n = 131, rpb = 0.31,p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight that materials created by state interscholastic association and the CDC's Heads Up program among others are utilized to satisfy mandates and are perceived to be moderately effective, especially when perceived to be engaging. These results can help guide future studies to examine specific educational tools and administration strategies to determine effectiveness on concussion disclosure.

Masculinity, optimism bias, and perceived pressure from stakeholders influence on student-athlete concussion reporting intentions and behavior.

Objective: Determine how a) masculinity, b) optimism bias, and c) perceived pressure from stakeholders predict concussion reporting intentions and behavior. Participants: Collegiate student-athletes (n = 369). Methods: Student-athletes completed surveys of Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 (nine sections), optimism bias (optimist, neutral, pessimist), perceived pressure from stakeholders (six stakeholder sections), reporting intentions (symptom and concussion), and behavior (symptom and concussion). Four separate stepwise multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Results: A one-point increase in playboy, heterosexual self-preservation, being neutral or optimist compared to a pessimist symptom reporting intention decreased. A one-point increase in sport primacy, perceived pressure from athletic administration, being neutral or optimist compared to pessimist concussion reporting intentions increased 0.05, and decreased 0.23, 0.35, and 0.32, respectively. A one-point increase in violence and playboy increased the odds of being a "non-reporter" by 30% and 40%. Conclusions: Pessimistic views regarding concussion risks may result in greater concussion reporting intentions, however these findings did not influence behavior.

University educators' perceptions of academic adjustments following a concussion for student-athletes and non-student-athletes.

Objective: To identify (1) university educators' perceptions of academic adjustments (AA), and (2) if teaching experience correlated with AA perceptions following concussion. Participants: Two hundred twenty educators. Methods: University educators were invited to complete a survey containing four subsections; this manuscript focuses on AA following concussion. Objective 1 was descriptive; we conducted spearman's rho correlations between years of teaching experience and AA perceptions to address objective 2. Results: Educators were moderately familiar with AA but were not confident in their knowledge about AA following concussion. Participants who provided AA following concussion most often allowed excused absences and extra time for exams/assignments. There were no significant relationships between teaching experience and perceptions of AA. Conclusions: University educators largely feel unprepared to provide or recommend AA following concussion but had favorable AA perceptions following concussion. Standardized policies or referral sites within the university system may be warranted to improve post-concussion AA.

The Role of Social Support in Concussion Disclosure in United States Air Force Academy Cadets: A Mixed Methods Approach.

INTRODUCTION: United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) cadets are at risk for sustaining concussions; however, several factors inhibit disclosure. We aimed to better understand the role of social support in concussion disclosure. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We used a mixed methods approach with an electronic survey and interviews. The survey used a 9-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree and 9 = strongly agree) to assess concussion disclosure. Survey items asked cadets whom they felt most comfortable disclosing a concussion or bell-ringer/ding to, how quickly they would seek medical attention for a suspected concussion or bell-ringer/ding, whether cadets would be generally supportive/unsupportive of another cadet disclosing a concussion to medical staff, and whether other cadets important to them would be generally supportive/unsupportive if they reported a concussion to medical staff. Two multivariate linear regressions, one for concussion and one for bell-ringers/dings, were calculated to determine whether cadet choice of the person they felt most comfortable disclosing a concussion or bell-ringer/ding to predicted whether they would immediately seek medical attention for either condition. Choice of person included Air Officer Commanding (AOC)/Academy Military Trainer (AMT), upper classmen, cadet who had recovered from a concussion, cadet, closest friend, teammate, and squadmate. Descriptive analyses assessed whether cadets felt supported or unsupported by other cadets and by those who were important to them concerning concussion reporting. Thirty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with cadets to explore their views on concussion disclosure. RESULTS: Increased comfort with disclosing a suspected concussion to an AOC/AMT had higher agreement seeking medical attention (ß = 0.28, P < .001). For every 1-point increase in being comfortable disclosing a potential bell-ringer/ding to an AOC/AMT (ß = 0.272, P < .001), squadmate (ß = 0.241, P = .002), and teammate (ß = -0.182, P = .035), agreement for seeking medical attention immediately increased 0.27, increased 0.24, and decreased 0.18, respectively. Interviews indicated cadets would often speak to a peer before seeking medical attention. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that cadets felt comfortable reporting a suspected concussion or bell-ringer/ding to various peers and that those peers would be supportive of that choice, indicating social support. Future interventions should include educating cadets that peers may come to them, especially if they are AOCs/AMTs or squadmates.

United States Air Force Academy Cadets' Unprompted Knowledge of Concussions and "Bell Ringers" or "Dings": Perceived Differences and Similarities.

CONTEXT: After a possible concussion mechanism, cadets are unlikely to have a list of concussion signs and symptoms at their disposal. As such, unprompted concussion knowledge may be an essential factor in personal recognition of injury. OBJECTIVE: To explore determinants that contributed to United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) cadets' disclosure of a concussion. This research focused on 1 of 8 overall discovered themes of unprompted concussion knowledge. DESIGN: Qualitative study. SETTING: Military academy. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Cadets at the USAFA (males = 23, females = 11, age = 19.91 ± 1.14 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We conducted 34 semistructured interviews. The transcribed text was analyzed in a 5-cycle process. From this process, 8 overall themes emerged, including unprompted concussion knowledge. Subthemes were concussion definition, concussion symptoms, "bell-ringer" or "ding" definition, "bell-ringer" or "ding" symptoms, and concussion versus "bell ringer" or "ding." RESULTS: Many participants were able to describe a concussion fairly accurately. The most commonly listed concussion signs and symptoms were dizziness (n = 22/34, 64.7%); "can't remember"/"memory loss"/"forgetful" (n = 19/34, 55.9%); and headache (n = 16/34, 47.1%). The cadet participants characterized the most common bell-ringer or ding signs and symptoms as dizziness (n = 2/34, 5.9%) and headache (n = 2/34, 5.9%). Cadets also described how a bell ringer or ding differs from a concussion, often commenting that concussions were more severe than bell ringers or dings. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, USAFA cadet participants listed common concussion signs and symptoms. However, they perceived differences between a concussion and a bell ringer or ding. Although decreasing the use of colloquial terms for concussion is recommended, use of these terms when examining a concussion history may be helpful. Concussion-education interventions should continue to focus on describing concussion signs and symptoms using cadets' own words to describe the injury (eg, "forgetful") but differentiating between what may and may not be a concussion and encouraging individuals to consult health care providers regarding possible concussion symptoms.

An Examination of Perceived Pressure From Stakeholders on Concussion Reporting Intentions and Behavior in Ice Hockey Athletes.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess whether perceived pressure predicts concussion reporting intentions and behavior in youth, high school, and collegiate ice hockey athletes, and, secondarily, whether perceived pressure from stakeholders differed between sex or level of play. SETTING: Online survey. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred fifty-two ice hockey athletes (males: n = 96, 63.2%; females: n = 55, 36.2%; missing: n = 1, 0.7%; age = 14.04 ± 3.6 years). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. MAIN MEASURES: Respondents answered a survey that elicited information about demography, perceived pressure from 6 stakeholders, and concussion reporting intentions and behavior. For the first aim, we used a generalized linear model to determine whether perceived pressure from any stakeholder predicted intention (symptom reporting, concussion reporting, and intention beliefs) or behavior ("all concussions," "not obvious concussions"; α < .05) while controlling for level of play. To determine whether pressure from any stakeholder predicted symptom reporting behavior, we used logistic regression while controlling for level of play. For the second aim, to examine sex differences in perceived pressure from each stakeholder, we employed Mann-Whitney tests and to examine level of play differences, we used Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Controlling for level of play, a 1-point increase in perceived pressure from parents and athletic administrators decreased concussion reporting intentions by 0.92 (P = .004) and 1.09 (P = .005) points, respectively. Perceived pressure from a sports medicine professional decreased intention beliefs by 0.17 (P = .029) points. Perceived pressure from stakeholders did not predict symptom reporting (P = .440) or "not obvious concussion" reporting (P = .655) behavior. We observed no difference in perceived pressure across stakeholders (all P values >.05); however, collegiate ice hockey respondents perceived greater pressure from coaches than youth or high school athletes (P < .001). We noted no other differences in perceived pressure across levels of play (all P values >.05). CONCLUSIONS: Concussion reporting intentions were negatively influenced by perceived pressure from parents, athletic administrators, and sports medicine professionals, but these findings did not translate to reporting behavior.

A Qualitative Analysis of Concussion-Reporting Behavior in Collegiate Student-Athletes With a History of Sport-Related Concussion.

CONTEXT: Many survey-based methods have been used to explore concussion-reporting behavior. However, because the decision to report or conceal a concussion is likely multifactorial, this may narrow the findings, as the surveys were largely designed by the researchers. OBJECTIVE: To explore student-athletes' perspectives regarding factors that may influence the reporting of sport-related concussion. DESIGN: Qualitative study. SETTING: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletics. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: We conducted 17 semistructured interviews with student-athletes who had sustained 1 or more concussions while attending a large university (men = 4, women = 13, age = 20.9 ± 1.3 years). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: After data saturation and member checks, a 5-cycle analytic process was completed: topical review, literature review, data collection and summarizing using a codebook developed by a 3-person research team, linking of findings to current research, and final interpretations. RESULTS: We discovered 3 themes. Participants discussed concussion perceptions by describing their understanding of a concussion, their own injury experiences, and their perceptions of symptom severity and duration. Regarding reporting behavior, participants described an order of individuals with whom they would speak, symptoms present in order to report (eg, feeling different from normal), immediate reactions, and influential factors for mitigating short- and long-term consequences. Lastly, participants discussed the value of support systems, such as how coaches can both positively and negatively influence reporting and athletic trainer involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Participants often drew from their own concussion experiences in naming common concussion signs and symptoms. Additionally, they indicated that both short- and long-term health consequences influenced and deterred their seeking care and that their support systems, including coaches and athletic trainers, played a role in their concussion experience. Research is needed to determine if using student-athletes' own words to describe a concussion and incorporating student-athletes' support systems, especially coaches and athletic trainers, is effective in increasing concussion reporting.

Using the health belief model to predict concussion-reporting intentions and behaviour.

PURPOSE: To determine whether Health Belief Model (HBM) factors predict concussion-reporting intentions and behaviour. Methods: Participants completed a cross-sectional survey to measure the HBM constructs of concussion knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action. We also asked participants to indicate their concussion-reporting intentions and behaviourfor symptom and concussion reporting. Four separate multivariable regressions were conducted to predict concussion-reporting intentions and behaviour based on HBM constructs. Results: Cues to action (ß = 0.25, p= .016) predicted symptom reporting intentions (F7,318 = 4.44, p< .001, R2 = 0.089), while perceived benefits (ß = 0.12, p= .018), perceived barriers (ß = -0.11, p= .034) and cues to action (ß = 0.29, p< .001) predicted concussion-reporting intentions (F7,318 = 11.34, p < .001, R2 = 0.200). The HBM did not predict symptom or concussion-reporting behavior (symptom: Χ2 = 5.51, p= .138, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.096; concussion: Χ2 = 5.20, p= .157, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.159). Conclusions: Strategies to reduce perceived barriers and increase benefits of reporting concussion symptoms may improve reporting intentions. This may include cues to action in sharing a positive view toward long-term health and dispelling that reporting a concussion would let down teammates. .

The influence of coping, perceptions of limitations, interference, and locus of control on concussion care-seeking intentions in collegiate athletes.

BACKGROUND: Athletes who delay seeking care for a suspected concussion can experience longer recovery outcomes. Concussion care-seeking intentions may be influenced by several understudied factors; coping, perceptions of limitations, perceptions of interference, and locus of control. AIM: The aim of the study was to describe and compare coping, perceptions of limitations, perceptions of interference, and locus of control and determine whether these variables influence symptom and concussion care-seeking intentions in collegiate student-athletes. METHODS: Collegiate student-athletes (n=204; female=54.9%) reported demographic information (i.e., sex, division, and contact level), symptom and concussion care-seeking intentions, coping (approach, social, and avoidance), perceptions of limitations, perceptions of interference, and locus of control ratings (internal, powerful others, and chance). Non-parametric statistics was conducted to compare all outcomes between groups (α=0.05). Multiple linear regressions were used to predict symptom and concussion care-seeking intentions based on each of the variables. Spearman rank-order correlations supplemented the regression models. RESULTS: Females had significantly higher symptom care-seeking intentions (P=0.04) and greater powerful other ratings (P=0.04) than males. Non-contact student-athletes had significantly higher symptom care-seeking intentions (P<0.00) compared to collision sport athletes. Coping, perceptions of limitations, perceptions of interference, and locus of control did not significantly predict symptom or concussion care-seeking intentions. There was a weak positive association between perceptions of limitations and symptom care-seeking intentions (rs(198)=0.23, P<0.01) and concussion care-seeking intentions (rs(198)=0.15, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We may not need to focus extensively on coping, perceptions of limitations, perceptions of interference, and locus of control ratings when creating concussion education since none of these variables significantly predicted care-seeking intentions. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: Care-seeking intentions for concussion do not appear to be influenced largely by these variables.

School nurses' perceptions of concussion management for secondary school student-athletes.

Background: School nurses play a vital role in concussion management at the secondary school level, often being the only on-site healthcare provider during school hours. However, little is known regarding how they perceive their role in the concussion management process. The purpose of this study was to explore school nurses' perceptions and satisfaction with concussion management in the secondary school setting using a qualitative approach.Methods: Twenty-two school nurses employed within a United States secondary school setting completed individual, semi-structured phone interviews. Data were analyzed using a consensual qualitative research approach.Results: Four overall themes emerged. This manuscript focuses on one specific theme: school nurse perceptions and satisfaction regarding concussion management. Subthemes included: school nurses' overall perception and satisfaction with current concussion management procedures, interactions with other involved personnel, concussion assessment tools, school nurses' perceived role, current concussion management policies, concussion education, and school nurse continuing education specific to concussion.Conclusions: School nurses were generally positive regarding concussion management within their setting and were satisfied with their roles overall. However, participants identified a number of areas that require further attention to ensure an evidence-based, consistent team approach to concussion management to support best student outcomes and continuity of care.