Moderating Effects of Gender Among Collegiate Student-Athletes Receiving a Novel Peer Concussion Education Program

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Public Health
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Over 460,000 student-athletes participate in college sports annually.
• Concussions are prevalent, with 5.5 reported per 1,000 athlete exposures, primarily during competition.
• Female athletes are somewhat more likely to report concussions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the moderating effects of gender on responses to a Peer Concussion Education Program (PCEP).
• To evaluate the impact of a PCEP on concussion knowledge, reporting behaviors, and attitudes among college student-athletes.

Main Methods:

• 1,100 male and 511 female student-athletes from 60 teams participated in a pre-, post-, and follow-up intervention study.
• Participants were from high-concussive sports across all NCAA divisions.
• Assessments included symptom and return-to-play knowledge, reporting behavior, and attitudes.

Main Results:

• The PCEP significantly improved outcomes compared to the control group for all participants.
• Female athletes in the PCEP demonstrated greater improvements in return-to-play knowledge and reporting intentions (self and teammate).
• PCEP-participating females were more likely to discuss concussions and report their own suspected injuries.

Conclusions:

• Females exhibited enhanced understanding of key PCEP components, suggesting potential gender-specific learning differences in peer education settings.
• Findings indicate that females may possess different attitudes toward reporting and safety, prioritizing the well-being of others.
• The PCEP appears effective, with notable gender differences in knowledge acquisition and reporting behaviors.