Misunderstandings of concussion within a youth rugby population

Kearney, P. E. and See, J. (2017) Misunderstandings of concussion within a youth rugby population. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 20 (11). pp. 981-985. ISSN 1440-2440

[thumbnail of Accepted article]
Preview
Text (Accepted article)
Kearney Lee 2017 JSAMS concussion.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (453kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Lay summary]
Preview
Text (Lay summary)
Graphic Summary JSMS 5-5-17 (blog) (1).pdf - Supplemental Material
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Objectives: The recognition and management of concussion has become a major health concern within rugby union. Identifying misconceptions and attitudes regarding concussion is valuable for informing player education. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, concussion in subgroups of youth rugby players.
Design: Cross-sectional survey.
Methods: Information sheets and consent forms were distributed at training sessions for multiple teams at each of three schools and three clubs. Players who returned consent forms completed a custom-designed survey at a subsequent session.
Results: Two hundred and fifty-five English players, aged 11 to 17 years, completed the anonymous survey. Sixty-one participants reported a total of 77 concussions. Self-reported return to play ranged from 0 to 365 days; only seven players (11%) reported a return to play after the Rugby Football Union’s recommendation of 23 days. Although the majority of findings relating to players’ knowledge of concussion were positive, a number of important misunderstandings were revealed. While the majority of players reported positive attitudes towards concussion, a substantial minority (up to 30%) reported inappropriate attitudes in response to specific questions. Participants who played at multiple venues did report superior knowledge and attitudes relative to their peers who played at a single venue.
Conclusion: Despite generally positive results, youth rugby players were found to hold a number of misconceptions regarding concussion which should be the focus for education initiatives. Considering general subgroups of players by concussion history, age, or playing position appears unlikely to enhance the design of concussion education programmes.

Publication Type: Articles
Subjects: R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
Divisions: Research Entities > CCASES
Academic Areas > Institute of Sport > Area > Exercise Physiology
Depositing User: Philip Kearney
Date Deposited: 26 Apr 2017 10:04
Last Modified: 16 Oct 2019 15:50
URI: https://eprints.chi.ac.uk/id/eprint/2741

Actions (login required)

View Item
View Item
▲ Top

Our address

I’m looking for