Effectiveness of PitchSafe on Knowledge and Attitude of Baseball-Related Concussion

Abstract

BackgroundTraumatic brain injuries (TBIs), specifically concussions, affect many athletes and have dangerous immediate and long-term sequelae. Lack of awareness surrounding concussion impedes prevention, identification, and treatment. This study aims to assess parental knowledge and attitudes regarding concussions in youth baseball before and after administering an educational intervention called PitchSafe. PitchSafe is a short video that contains examples of baseball-related head injuries such as collisions, falls, and direct hits by baseballs; the signs and symptoms of a concussion; testimony from a former baseball player who sustained a TBI playing baseball; and a brochure detailing the potential signs, symptoms, and treatment plans associated with concussions. MethodologyThe Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (RoCKAS) was used to assess three indices of parental understanding of concussion: Concussion Knowledge Index (CKI), Concussion Attitudes Index (CAI), and signs and symptoms of concussions (SS). The RoCKAS was administered at baseline and after the PitchSafe tool was administered. Parents were re-assessed one year following the initial distribution of survey materials utilizing the long-term follow-up (LTFU) RoCKAS. A paired sample t-test was conducted to compare the baseline, post-intervention (PI), and LTFU CKI, CAI, and SS among participants. ResultsThe mean scores for CKI were 68% ± 12%, 76% ± 4%, and 76% ± 5% for baseline, PI, and LTFU, respectively. The mean scores for SS were 46% ± 20%, 62% ± 14%, and 64% ± 16% for baseline, PI, and LTFU, respectively. The mean scores for CAI were 87% ± 6%, 91% ± 5%, and 92% ± 4% for baseline, PI, and LTFU, respectively. ConclusionsPitchSafe increased youth baseball parents' long-term knowledge of concussions, ability to identify signs and symptoms of concussions, and may promote safer attitudes toward concussions. These findings support more widespread use of educational tools through social media and in clinical settings.

Investigation of concussion knowledge and attitudes of Chinese amateur adolescent soccer athletes

“…Therefore, all 69 questionnaires were included for statistics and analysis. Scores on the CKI subscales are shown in Tables 1 and 2, with a mean score of 16.8 ± 2.4 (range [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. In both Part I and Part II of RoCKAS-ST (Table 1), the higher accuracy rate of common concussion knowledge included the following: concussions sometimes cause emotional confusion (94.2%, 65/69: S1 question 16); being diagnosed with a concussion presupposes that you have to be knocked down (89.9%, 62/69: S1 question 5); and symptoms of a concussion may last for several weeks (87%, 60/69: S1 question 8).…”

“…[14] These findings implicate there exists deficiencies of concussion knowledge and attitude among athletes, such as a lack of identification of concussion symptoms and risks associated with concussion complications. [15] Currently found studies investigating concussion knowledge and attitudes mainly focus on football [16] and baseball [17] athletes. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, there is no such studies conducted in China.…”

A cross-sectional study examining Nigerian footballers’ knowledge and attitudes towards sport-related concussion and associated contextual factors

“…Sports-related concussion (SRC) can be described as a temporary neurological dysfunction that results from a direct or indirect impact to the head (Carpenter, Lininger, & Craig, 2020; O'Reilly et al, 2020). SRCs can result from high-impact collisions, falls, and direct blows to the head, face, or neck, by an opponent (e.g., a player’s arm) or an object (e.g., a ball) (Labiste, McElroy, Chaniotakis, Duong, & Haffizulla, 2021; Mihalik, Lynall, Teel, & Carneiro, 2014). Physiologically, concussion causes a neurochemical cascade resulting in ionic shifts, altered metabolism, and decreased connections leading to alterations in neurotransmission in the brain (Giza & Hovda, 2001).…”

“…These neurochemical changes in the brain result in the signs and symptoms we observe in cases of concussion (e.g., headache, amnesia, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, confusion, sleep disturbances, irritability, and mental fogginess) (Ferry & DeCastro, 2021). Recovery from a concussive episode takes an average of 7 to 10 days in 80%–90% of cases (Labiste et al, 2021), especially when guidelines are known and are appropriately followed by clinicians and athletes (Register-Mihalik et al, 2013a). Failure to follow these guidelines, due to a lack of awareness or dismissing the risk, combined with a return to sport before full resolution of the initial symptoms, can increase the risk of what is termed ‘second impact syndrome’.…”

“…In continents such as Africa, there is limited evidence available on the epidemiology of concussion, and where this does exist, it largely focuses on rugby union in South Africa given the popularity of the sport and the emphasis World Rugby places on SRC (Patricios, Kohler, & Collins, 2010; Viljoen, Schoeman, Brandt, Patricios, & Van Rooyen, 2017). However, recently greater focus has been placed on SRC and sub-concussive forces in football (soccer) (Labiste et al, 2021). Football is the most popular and fastest-growing sport in the world with over 270 million people actively engaged (registered and unregistered) in the sport (FIFA Communications Division, 2007).…”