Citation

Bagley AF, Daneshvar DH, Schanker BD, Zurakowski D, Dʼhemecourt CA, Nowinski CJ, Cantu RC, Goulet K. Clin. J. Sport. Med. 2012; 22(5): 385-389.

Affiliation

*MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts †Sports Legacy Institute, Boston, Massachusetts ‡Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts §Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts ¶Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts ‖Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts **Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts ††Department of Neurosurgery, Emerson Hospital, Concord, Massachusetts ‡‡Eastern Ontario Concussion Clinic, ActiveCare Medical Centre, Kanata, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JSM.0b013e3182639bb4

PMID

22929042

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:: To analyze the effectiveness of the Sports Legacy Institute Community Educators (SLICE) curriculum for student-athletes on recognition and appropriate responses to concussions. DESIGN:: Prospective cohort study, level II. SETTING:: The SLICE concussion workshop. PARTICIPANTS:: All students ranging from 9 to 18 years (n = 636) taking the SLICE concussion education program. INTERVENTION:: The SLICE concussion education program featuring interactive demonstrations, discussion, and case studies of athletes delivered by medical students and others in health-related fields. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:: Evaluations assessing knowledge of concussion recognition and appropriate response were administered before and after participating in the SLICE concussion education program. RESULTS:: Students displayed significant improvements in absolute mean score on the concussion knowledge quiz between prepresentation and postpresentation (P < 0.0001). Significant improvements in mean score were observed among both male and female students within each age group. The proportion of students who passed the quiz increased from 34% prepresentation to 80% postpresentation (P < 0.0001). However, the percentage who passed the quiz postpresentation was significantly higher among female students compared with male students (P < 0.0001) and among students 13 years of age or older compared with students less than 13 years (P < 0.0001). Using multivariable logistic regression, we identified age group and gender as the most significant factors associated with passing the quiz postpresentation. CONCLUSION:: The SLICE program promotes effective learning and knowledge about concussion recognition and response among students ranging from 9 to 18 years. Lessons from the SLICE program may be broadly applicable to youth concussion education.

Language: en