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Published on: January 20, 2019
From the Sidelines to the Spotlight: Addressing the Gap in Concussion Education and Management for University-Level
Allyssa K Memmini1, Olivia Hutchison, Paola Savvidou
1Author Affiliations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Memmini); Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (Hutchison); University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (Savvidou, Ng, Jelínková, Beck, and Schuyten); Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (Russell); University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida (Sinnott); University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado (Donahue); Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (Donahue); University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (Hentis); Athletes and the Arts, Carmel, Indiana (Dick); Stanford University, Stanford, California (Stanek); Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland (Lasner); Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (Wimberly); Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan (Woerner); Restorative Physical Medicine, Novi, Michigan (Skallerud); Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York (Linck); and Artist Rehabilitation Therapy Services, LLC, Boston, Massachusetts (Wiss).
University performing artists need better concussion education and management. This study identified key areas for improvement and barriers to care, offering solutions to enhance support for these athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Performing Arts Health
- Concussion Management
Background:
- University performing artists are an under-represented group in concussion research.
- Existing concussion protocols may not adequately address the unique needs of performing artists.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify areas for improvement in concussion education and management for university performing artists.
- To determine barriers and potential solutions for enhancing concussion care within university performing arts departments.
Main Methods:
- A modified Delphi technique was employed with a panel of 21 experts, including clinicians, researchers, faculty, staff, and students.
- Panelists participated in a 3-round survey process to reach consensus on concussion education, return-to-performance challenges, care barriers, and support strategies.
Main Results:
- Consensus was reached on 20 topics for concussion education materials (60.6%).
- Agreement was achieved on 21 statements regarding return-to-performance challenges (65.6%) and 23 strategies for postconcussion support (63.9%).
- 13 barriers (48.2%) faced by performing arts students seeking on-campus care were identified.
Conclusions:
- The study provides recommendations to address specific gaps in concussion preparation and management for university performing arts departments.
- Developed strategies can inform institutional policy to improve concussion care and support for performing artists.
