Emily Kroshus1, John Parsons2, Brian Hainline2. 1. Department of Pediatrics and Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Washington-Seattle. 2. National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, IN.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Sports officials can play an important role in concussion safety by calling injury timeouts so that athletic trainers can evaluate athletes with possible concussions. Understanding the determinants of whether officials call an injury timeout when they suspect a concussion has important implications for the design of interventions to better support officials in this role. OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of US collegiate football officials about concussion symptoms and to determine the associations between knowledge, perceived injunctive norms, and self-efficacy in calling injury timeouts for suspected concussions. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Electronic survey. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Of the 3074 US collegiate football officials contacted, 1324 (43% response rate) participated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Concussion knowledge, injunctive norms (belief about what others would want them to do), and behavioral self-efficacy (confidence in their ability to call injury timeouts for suspected concussions in athletes during challenging game-day conditions). RESULTS: Officials reported calling approximately 1 injury timeout for a suspected concussion every 4 games during the 2015 season. Structural equation modeling indicated that officials with more concussion-symptom knowledge had greater self-efficacy. Independent of an official's symptom knowledge, injunctive norms that were more supportive of calling an injury timeout were associated with greater self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Concussion education for officials is important because when officials are aware of concussion symptoms, they are more confident in calling injury timeouts. Beyond increasing symptom knowledge, fostering sports environments that encourage concussion safety can support officials in calling injury timeouts. Athletic trainers can help by educating stakeholders, including officials, about the importance of concussion safety. When officials believe that other stakeholders support concussion safety, they are more likely to call injury timeouts if they suspect a concussion has occurred.
CONTEXT: Sports officials can play an important role in concussion safety by calling injury timeouts so that athletic trainers can evaluate athletes with possible concussions. Understanding the determinants of whether officials call an injury timeout when they suspect a concussion has important implications for the design of interventions to better support officials in this role. OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of US collegiate football officials about concussion symptoms and to determine the associations between knowledge, perceived injunctive norms, and self-efficacy in calling injury timeouts for suspected concussions. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Electronic survey. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Of the 3074 US collegiate football officials contacted, 1324 (43% response rate) participated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Concussion knowledge, injunctive norms (belief about what others would want them to do), and behavioral self-efficacy (confidence in their ability to call injury timeouts for suspected concussions in athletes during challenging game-day conditions). RESULTS: Officials reported calling approximately 1 injury timeout for a suspected concussion every 4 games during the 2015 season. Structural equation modeling indicated that officials with more concussion-symptom knowledge had greater self-efficacy. Independent of an official's symptom knowledge, injunctive norms that were more supportive of calling an injury timeout were associated with greater self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Concussion education for officials is important because when officials are aware of concussion symptoms, they are more confident in calling injury timeouts. Beyond increasing symptom knowledge, fostering sports environments that encourage concussion safety can support officials in calling injury timeouts. Athletic trainers can help by educating stakeholders, including officials, about the importance of concussion safety. When officials believe that other stakeholders support concussion safety, they are more likely to call injury timeouts if they suspect a concussion has occurred.
Authors: Thomas P Dompier; Zachary Y Kerr; Stephen W Marshall; Brian Hainline; Erin M Snook; Ross Hayden; Janet E Simon Journal: JAMA Pediatr Date: 2015-07 Impact factor: 16.193
Authors: Zachary Y Kerr; Johna K Register-Mihalik; Stephen W Marshall; Kelly R Evenson; Jason P Mihalik; Kevin M Guskiewicz Journal: Brain Inj Date: 2014-04-16 Impact factor: 2.311
Authors: Riana R Pryor; Douglas J Casa; Lesley W Vandermark; Rebecca L Stearns; Sarah M Attanasio; Garrett J Fontaine; Alex M Wafer Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2015-02 Impact factor: 2.860
Authors: Emily Kroshus; Alan C Utter; Lauren A Pierpoint; Dustin W Currie; Sarah B Knowles; Erin B Wasserman; Thomas P Dompier; Stephen W Marshall; R Dawn Comstock; Zachary Y Kerr Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2018-12 Impact factor: 2.860