Objective To understand concussion education patterns among K-12 schools

Design Cross-sectional

Setting Online survey

Participants 465 survey responses were collected, with 442 athletic trainers included in the study (193 males, n= 243 females, n=5 prefer not to answer, n=1 missing) from 47 states. Participants were solicited over email to complete the survey which consisted of multipart, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions.

Outcome Measures Responses are reported as frequencies and percentages.

Main Results Most respondents indicated athletes receive concussion education annually (n=399, 92.1%). with informational handouts (n=286), in-person education lecture from AT/coach (n=212), education video (n=135), computerized modules (n=51), and peer-to-peer education (n=43) as the most common types of education delivered to athletes. Respondents reported 80% (n=345) of parents receive concussion education annually, with informational handouts (n=284), in person education lecture (n=122), educational videos (n=89), and computerized modules (n=29) used most frequently. Respondents reported over 95% (n=411) of coaches receive concussion education annually with educational videos (n=299), computerized modules (n=211), informational handouts (n=165), peer-to-peer (n=66), and in person lectures (n=66) most commonly provided. Overall, respondents reported athletes (N=209, 53.3%) and parents (n=194, 57.7%) received one hour of concussion education annually, while coaches received two or fewer hours of education per year (n=308, 75.3%)

Conclusion Athletes, parents, and coaches are receiving at least one hour of concussion education annually. However, the effectiveness, efficiency, and accuracy of this education is unknown. Future research should explore the benefits of concussion education and its impact on intention-to-report concussion.