The Association Between School District‐Based Policies Related to Concussions and Concussions Among High School Students

• Published in: The Journal of school health Vol. 92; no. 2; pp. 140 - 147
• Main Authors: Miller, Gabrielle F., Sarmiento, Kelly, Haarbauer‐Krupa, Juliet, Everett Jones, Sherry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01.02.2022; Wiley; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Athletic Injuries - epidemiology; Board of Education Policy; Brain Concussion - epidemiology; Brain Concussion - prevention & control; Childrens health; Classrooms; Concussion; concussions; Head Injuries; Health Behavior; Health Policy; High School Students; Humans; Incidence; Neurological Impairments; Pediatrics; Physical activity; Polls & surveys; Prioritizing; Professional development; Risk behavior; School districts; Schools; Secondary schools; Sports; Students; TBI; TBI; concussions
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.13113
• ISSN: 0022-4391

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Little is known about the effectiveness of school district concussion policies on reducing the concussion prevalence among students. METHODS Data from the 2016 School Health Policies and Practices Study and 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey for 10 school districts were linked. The outcome variable was having a sports‐ or physical activity‐related concussion during the 12 months before of the survey. Exposure variables were 2 district policies, including district‐funded professional development and prioritizing return to the classroom before returning to athletics. Logistic regression models estimated the odds of a concussion among students in districts with one, both, or neither policy (referent). RESULTS In districts with district‐funded professional development, the odds of students self‐reporting ≥2 sports‐ or physical activity‐related concussions were 1.4 times higher than in districts with neither policy. In districts with a policy prioritizing a return to the classroom before returning to athletics, the odds of students self‐reporting ≥2 concussions were significantly lower (OR = 0.6) than in districts with neither policy. CONCLUSION School district concussion policies may have positive effects by identifying and reducing multiple concussions among students.