Increasing incidence of hospitalisation for sport‐related concussion in Victoria, Australia

Abstract

The frequency and participation-adjusted rate of hospitalisation for sport-related concussion, both overall and across several sports, increased significantly over the 9 2013s. These findings, along with high levels of public concern, make prevention of head injury in sport a population health priority in Australia.

Implementation of concussion guidelines in community Australian Football and Rugby League—The experiences and challenges faced by coaches and sports trainers

“…3 Inform parents and junior players about decision making n = 1. 4 Inform when appropriate to refer to medical practitioner n = 11. 5 Education tool for club officials and players n = 7.…”

“…3 Unfortunately, a large number of sport-related concussions occur each year across a range of sports, with recent evidence suggesting that the incidence of sport-related concussions is rising. 4 In a recent population-based study from Victoria, Australia, the number of hospitalizations for sports-related concussions increased by 61% over a nine year period, 4 while a significant increase in the number of reported concussions in the Australian National Rugby League was reported between 1998 and 2010. 5 Furthermore, in elite soccer players, experiencing a concussion increased the risk of sustaining a different subsequent sports injury by up to 70% in the following year, most probably due to altered neurological and cognitive function.…”

Knowledge about sports-related concussion: is the message getting through to coaches and trainers?

“…Recent data from Victoria, Australia indicates that the rate of hospitalisations for sport-related concussion have increased significantly over the past 9 years 3. Although the exact incidence of sport-related concussion is unknown, epidemiological studies suggest that football codes played in Australia (eg, Australian Football (AF) and Rugby League (RL)) have a 10-fold to 15-fold higher rate of concussion than does American football 4 5.…”

Custodians of the Game: Ethical Considerations for Football Governing Bodies in Regulating Concussion Management

“…There is no equivalent body to the CDC in Australia and no central repository of information with accurate and relevant data as to the number and incidence of sportsrelated concussions in Australia. Research collected from hospital admission records over a nine-year period identifies the sports of Australian football, rugby league and rugby union as having high rates of hospitalisations from concussive injuries [21]. The AFL, through its internal injury surveillance program, indicates that the numbers of reported concussion injuries are between five to seven concussions per team per season [22].…”