Sport-Related Concussion: Knowledge and Reporting Behaviors Among Collegiate Club-Sport Athletes

Previous literature on sport-related concussion (SRC) knowledge and reporting behaviors has been limited to high school and National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate athletes; however, knowledge regarding collegiate club-sport athletes is limited.

To determine the level of SRC knowledge and reporting behaviors among collegiate club-sport athletes and to investigate differences between athletes in traditional and nontraditional sports.

Cross-sectional study.

Survey.

A total of 410 athletes (247 males, 163 females) involved in traditional (n = 244) or nontraditional (n = 165) collegiate club sports.

The survey consisted of demographics, recognition of SRC signs and symptoms, general SRC knowledge, and reasons why athletes would not report SRCs. The independent variable was sport type. Sport-related concussion signs and symptoms and general knowledge were assessed by the frequency of correct answers to SRC signs and symptoms and general knowledge questions. Sport-related concussion-reporting behavior frequencies were evaluated by asking participants to indicate reasons why they did not or would not report an SRC.

The SRC signs and symptoms knowledge score was 23.01 ± 3.19 and general SRC knowledge score was 36.49 ± 4.16 (maximal score = 43). No differences were present for SRC signs and symptoms knowledge ( F_1,408 = 1.99, P = .16) or general SRC knowledge ( F_1,408 = 3.28, P = .07) between athletes in traditional and nontraditional collegiate club sports. The most common reason for not reporting an SRC was not recognizing it as a serious injury (n = 165, 40.3%). Chi-square tests demonstrated significant relationships between sport type and 5 reasons for not reporting an SRC.

The participants displayed moderate to high levels of knowledge of SRCs but indicated they had failed to or would fail to report SRCs for a variety of reasons. The lack of sports medicine coverage and disconnect between knowledge and injury recognition may make collegiate club-sport athletes more likely to participate while concussed.