Substance Use and Sports- or Physical Activity-Related Concussions Among High School Students

Abstract

History of concussion is associated with substance use. Data from the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey ( N = 14,765) were used in this study to examine associations between sports- or physical activity–related concussions and current cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use among high school students, and whether other factors moderate those associations. In addition to having played on a sports team, potential moderators examined included persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, hours of sleep, and serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. The association between sports- or physical activity-related concussions and current cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use was significant when controlling for sex, grade, and race/ethnicity and the potential moderators with the exception of cigarette smoking while controlling for hours of sleep. Those involved in the care of high school students after a concussion may consider assessing current cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use.