A Survey of US Collegiate Student-Athletes and Athletic Trainers on Sports-Related Concussion Knowledge and Reporting Habits.

Abstract

Objective: To assess sports-related concussion (SRC) knowledge levels in US collegiate student-athletes (S-As) and athletic trainers (ATs) and identify factors that influence reporting of SRC by S-As.

Design: Cross-sectional, retrospective study.

Setting: University training room/clinic visits.

Participants: National Collegiate Athletics Association Division 1 S-As and ATs.

Interventions: A survey consisting of demographics, SRC knowledge, prior SRC history, and reporting habits.

Main outcome measures: Sports-related concussion knowledge scores, SRC reporting habits.

Results: Response rates were 67% (350/520) for S-As and 100% (11/11) for ATs. S-As represented 21 sports (mean age 20.3 years, range 18-24, 54% male). Sports-related concussion knowledge scores were lower in male S-As (median 73%; interquartile range [IQR] 55%-85%) than in female S-As (79%; 55%-88%) (P < 0.05). Sports-related concussion knowledge scores differed between collision/contact (C/C) sport (79%; 67%-86%) and noncontact (NC) sport (73%; 55%-83%) S-As (P < 0.05). Twenty-nine percent (n = 102) of the S-As experienced a prior SRC, of which 67% (n = 68) reported their injury to a medical/authority figure. Male and C/C S-As were significantly less likely to report SRC than female, limited-contact, or NC sport S-As. Sports-related concussion knowledge scores were higher in ATs (97%; 89%-99%) than in S-As (76%; 55%-85%) (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: S-As have variable levels of SRC knowledge, with female and C/C sport S-As scoring the highest. Most S-As with prior SRC reported these to a medical/authority figure, but male and C/C sport S-As were less likely to do so. As expected, ATs have higher SRC knowledge than S-As.