An examination of Idaho high school football coaches' general understanding of concussion

While the underreporting of concussions to high school football players has been previously documented through an investigation of the general understanding of football players, no studies to date have looked at high school football coaches' general understanding of concussion. This study was conducted in 2006 with a dual purpose of examining the Idaho high school football coaches' general understanding of concussion and determining whether or not those coaches were consistent with experts' recommendations in concussion management, including the determination of the appropriate time for return to play. Questionnaires were sent to all Idaho high school head football coaches (n=128) of which 60% (n=77) responded. Data showed the consistency, or lack thereof, of concussion management and return to play, relative to published expert guidelines. Upon analysis it was clear that these coaches' practices were not consistent with expert recommendations regarding identifying and managing concussion. Many coaches were unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms of concussion, and were especially naive when it came to identifying instances of mild concussion, including "bell ringers" and "dings". There was also a lack of awareness about objective tools related to return-to-play decision making. Coaches who had access to athletic trainers managed concussion more consistently. Across all levels, but especially in smaller schools, there was a lack of concussion education afforded to coaches.