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Understanding of Sport Concussion by the Parents of Young Rugby Players: A Pilot Study

2009; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 19; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/jsm.0b013e3181a41e43

1536-3724

S. John Sullivan, Liam Bourne, Sharon Choie, Brigitte Eastwood, Sarah Isbister, Paul McCrory, Andrew Gray,

Sports injuries and prevention

Objective: Establish the knowledge and beliefs of the parents of high school rugby players about concussion. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional intercept style face-to-face pilot survey. Setting: The survey was conducted during high school rugby games. Participants: Two hundred parents of male high school rugby players who were attending their teenagers' games. Main Outcome Measures: Exploratory analysis of the closed- and open-ended questionnaire. Concussion signs and symptoms were subsequently mapped onto the framework of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool. Results: Most parents (83%; 165 of 198) reported that they were able to recognize a concussion in their teenager and provide a list of well-accepted signs and symptoms. Nearly all (96%; 188 of 196) were aware of the risks of continuing to play while concussed, and approximately half (51%; 99 of 196) were aware of return-to-play guidelines/recommendations after a concussion. Conclusions: Parents of male high school rugby players reported having basic knowledge of concussion symptoms and the seriousness of concussion. Parents are potentially key figures in the detection of a possible concussion in the postgame/practice home environment.