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The North Carolina High School Athletic Injury Study: design and methodology
N L Weaver1, F O Mueller, W D Kalsbeek
1The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. nweaver@sph.unc.edu
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|February 2, 1999
Summary
The North Carolina High School Athletic Injury Study (NCHSAIS) established a successful methodology for tracking sports injuries. This research provides insights into injury patterns among high school athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Interscholastic athletics are a significant component of school programs.
- Growing sports participation necessitates greater attention to injury prevention.
- Understanding sports injuries in high school athletes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify injury patterns in North Carolina high school athletes across 12 sports.
- To measure injury incidence, severity, and causes.
- To examine factors influencing injuries, including demographics, equipment, and coaching.
Main Methods:
- A 4-year prospective study involving a two-stage cluster sample of 100 North Carolina high schools.
- Data collection focused on injury patterns among male and female athletes.
- Methodology aimed to address implementation challenges in large-scale epidemiological research.
Main Results:
- 91 out of 100 targeted high schools participated in the study.
- Respondent burden was highest with the weekly participation form.
- The study successfully implemented its data collection methodology.
Conclusions:
- The North Carolina High School Athletic Injury Study (NCHSAIS) demonstrated a viable methodology for sports injury research.
- The study design and implementation offer valuable lessons for future large-scale epidemiological investigations in athletic populations.
- Further analysis of collected data can inform injury prevention strategies.