Content, Delivery, and Effectiveness of Concussion Education for US College Coaches

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to examine the proportion of US college coaches who receive annual concussion education from their institution and to describe the content and delivery modalities of this education. This study also tested the hypothesis that coaches receiving concussion education from their institution will have greater knowledge about concussions independent of other individual and institutional characteristics. Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Setting: US college sport. Participants: College coaches in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III (n = 1818). Independent Variables: Self-reported receipt of education from institution, sex, sport coached, division of competition. Main Outcome Measures: Concussion identification and management knowledge. Results: Two-thirds of coaches reported receiving informational materials about concussion from their institution. The content of the education most frequently referred to symptoms of a concussion and information about proper management of a concussion. Coaches who received educational materials from their institution were better able to identify symptoms and had more conservative responses to concussion management scenarios. Male coaches of male contact or collision teams less frequently endorsed safe or correct response as compared with female coaches of noncontact or collision teams. Conclusions: Not all US college coaches receive concussion education from their institution. Male Division I coaches of male contact/collision sport are a population for whom targeted educational outreach may be particularly valuable. Clinical Relevance: Education for coaches, delivered by clinicians at many institutions, is an important component of ensuring that coaches are prepared to be informed partners in supporting concussion safety.

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