TY - JOUR
T1 - Attitudes and Counseling Practices of Pediatricians Regarding Youth Sports Participation and Concussion Risks
AU - Fishman, Michael
AU - Taranto, Eleanor
AU - Perlman, Meryl
AU - Quinlan, Kyran
AU - Benjamin, Holly J.
AU - Ross, Lainie Friedman
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2017/5
Y1 - 2017/5
N2 - Objective To examine attitudes and practices of pediatricians toward sports-related head trauma and youth participation in tackle football and ice hockey. Study design A respondent-anonymous electronic survey was distributed 3 times to members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Bioethics, Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, and Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Results Of 791 eligible pediatricians, 227 (29%) responded. Most respondents (189/223; 85%) treat sports-related concussions, among whom 83% (137/165) reported access to an established return-to-play protocol within their practice. Virtually all (160/166; 96%) reported increased parental awareness/concern regarding concussions and 85% (139/163) reported increased visits for head trauma. Overall, 77% (140/183) would not allow their son to play tackle football and 35% (64/181) and 34% (63/184) would not allow their son or daughter, respectively, to participate in ice hockey. Most respondents endorsed limiting or eliminating tackling (143/176; 81%) and checking (144/179; 80%) from practice. Respondents were evenly divided in their support for counseling against youth participation in full-contact sports, with 48% in favor (87/180). Conclusions Most respondents would not allow their own child to play tackle football and endorsed limiting or eliminating tackling in practice. The American Academy of Pediatrics should consider recommending restrictions on tackling in football to support the current concussion concerns of its members.
AB - Objective To examine attitudes and practices of pediatricians toward sports-related head trauma and youth participation in tackle football and ice hockey. Study design A respondent-anonymous electronic survey was distributed 3 times to members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Bioethics, Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, and Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Results Of 791 eligible pediatricians, 227 (29%) responded. Most respondents (189/223; 85%) treat sports-related concussions, among whom 83% (137/165) reported access to an established return-to-play protocol within their practice. Virtually all (160/166; 96%) reported increased parental awareness/concern regarding concussions and 85% (139/163) reported increased visits for head trauma. Overall, 77% (140/183) would not allow their son to play tackle football and 35% (64/181) and 34% (63/184) would not allow their son or daughter, respectively, to participate in ice hockey. Most respondents endorsed limiting or eliminating tackling (143/176; 81%) and checking (144/179; 80%) from practice. Respondents were evenly divided in their support for counseling against youth participation in full-contact sports, with 48% in favor (87/180). Conclusions Most respondents would not allow their own child to play tackle football and endorsed limiting or eliminating tackling in practice. The American Academy of Pediatrics should consider recommending restrictions on tackling in football to support the current concussion concerns of its members.
KW - attitudes
KW - concussion
KW - football
KW - professional guidelines
KW - tackling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85013647386&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.01.048
DO - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.01.048
M3 - Article
C2 - 28238481
AN - SCOPUS:85013647386
SN - 0022-3476
VL - 184
SP - 19
EP - 25
JO - Journal of Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Pediatrics
ER -