Football Players' Perceptions of Future Risk of Concussion and Concussion-Related Health Outcomes

Abstract

Concussion is increasingly recognized as a risk of participation in contact and collision sports. There have been few examinations of athletes' perceptions of their susceptibility to concussion or concussion-related health consequences. We examine college football players' perceptions of their risk of sustaining a concussion and concussion-related health consequences in their future, whether these perceptions change over time, and how concussion history is related to perceived future risk of concussion and concussion-related health consequences. A survey was administered to National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Series athletes on 10 teams in 2013 and to nine of those teams in 2014. Athletes answered questions assessing their perceptions of concussion and potential concussion-related health consequences. Approximately 40% of athletes believed there was a strong possibility that they would sustain a concussion in the future, while approximately one-in-four thought a concussion would make them miss a few games. About one-in-10 athletes predicted dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy would develop from concussions. These beliefs were stronger among athletes who had sustained previous concussions. Across the two years studied, athletes' perceptions of the risk of concussion and missing a few games because of concussion decreased significantly. Overall, a substantial proportion of college football players believe they will have long-term health consequences as a result of sustaining sport-related concussions. The true incidence and prevalence of many of these outcomes are unknown. Further research is needed to determine whether athletes have an accurate perception of the risks of these outcomes developing.

Exploring Predictors of Moral Disengagement in Collegiate Athletic Trainers

“…Also, men and women did not participate in equal numbers, resulting in slightly skewed clusters. Previous authors 45,49 indicated that females tended to report lower levels of moral disengagement. However, this was not the case in our clusters, which could have been due to the low response rate and relatively small sample.…”

“…Previous investigators 48 cited gender differences in both athletes' and ATs' willingness to push ethical bounds and promote risky behavior (eg, play through injury or return to play prematurely). Moreover, Baugh et al 49 noted that female ATs were less willing to take risks in the sport context and that male ATs often framed injury as less of a concern than female ATs, thus encouraging continued participation despite injury. 49 Although a t test indicated that moral disengagement was higher among the men in our study, no gender differences were present between the clusters.…”

“…Moreover, Baugh et al 49 noted that female ATs were less willing to take risks in the sport context and that male ATs often framed injury as less of a concern than female ATs, thus encouraging continued participation despite injury. 49 Although a t test indicated that moral disengagement was higher among the men in our study, no gender differences were present between the clusters. Therefore, personal characteristics and views of sport may have influenced moral disengagement more than gender.…”

Are athletes psychologically ready for sport following a concussion?

“…In a study that surveyed 722 National Collegiate Athletics Association American football athletes, 40% believed they would suffer a concussion and 10% believed they would develop dementia, chronic traumatic encephalopathy or Alzheimer’s disease as a result of playing football 5. Although the study did not directly focus on psychological readiness during RTP, these data5 suggest that collegiate athletes have serious concerns about the health implications that are being linked with concussions. This may underscore the need to better understand and assess concussed athletes’ psychological readiness during RTP.…”

Football Team Social Structure and Perceived Support for Reporting Concussion Symptoms: Insights from a Social Network Analysis

“…3 Although SRC educational programs are required by all National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football programs, 4 the evidence regarding their effectiveness for increasing concussion reporting is mixed. 2,[5][6][7][8] One problem may be how these educational efforts are typically delivered. Current mandated concussion education programs at the college level follow a familiar format: large groups of athletes seated in an auditorium listen to a lecture about concussion symptom recognition, the consequences of playing while concussed, and the importance of reporting symptoms.…”