High School Coaches’ Assessments, Intentions to Use, and Use of a Concussion Prevention Toolkit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Heads Up: Concussion in High School Sports

Abstract

This study evaluated school coaches’ perceptions, assessments, and use of a toolkit to prevent and manage concussions among school athletes. A computer-assisted telephone survey was conducted with a stratified, random sample of high school coaches (n = 497; response rate = 39.3%; cooperation rate = 81.5%) from five states. Most reported that they had used or planned to use kit materials. Most (81%) in schools with a written plan for preventing and managing concussions indicated that the toolkit could be used to improve it and 96% of coaches in schools without a plan indicated that the kit could be used to develop one. Most assessed the kit as visually appealing, easy to use, and containing appropriate content. There were no significant differences among coaches with differing professional experience or for sports with different injury rates. Among those with other concussion-prevention materials, most indicated greater satisfaction with the toolkit.