Mapping the literature of athletic training

Abstract

This paper identifies the core literature of athletic training and determines which major databases provide the most thorough intellectual access to this literature. Methods:This study collected all cited references from 2002 to 2004 of three journals widely read by those in the athletic training field. Bradford's Law of Scattering was applied to the resulting list to determine the core journal titles in the discipline. Three major databases were reviewed for extent of their coverage of these core journals.Results: Of the total 8,678 citations, one-third referenced a compact group of 6 journals; another third of the citations referenced an additional 40 titles. The remaining 2,837 citations were scattered across 1,034 additional journal titles. Conclusions:The number and scatter of citations over a three-year period identified forty-six key journals in athletic training. The study results can inform athletic trainers of the core literature in their field, encourage database producers (e.g., MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL) to increase coverage of titles that are not indexed or underindexed, and guide purchasing decisions for libraries serving athletic training programs. Highlights• This paper reviews the development of athletic training as a recognized health sciences profession and current issues and trends in the profession. • This is the first published study to characterize the nature and scope of the literature of athletic training and to identify its core journal titles. • This study identified six titles that constitute the core journal titles in athletic training and forty additional journal titles that are the next most heavily used. The citing patterns of these journals indicate that the literature of athletic training draws heavily from the fields of sports medicine, physical therapy, rehabilitation, orthopedics, and physiology. Implications• Comprehensive literature searches must be performed in multiple databases, as no one product covers the field of athletic training thoroughly. • The findings serve as a guide for making journal and database purchasing decisions in academic and health sciences libraries. • MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL can add value to their products by increasing coverage of the forty-six titles identified in this study.

Mapping the literature of occupational therapy: an update

“…To date, the allied health project has given rise to fifteen mapping studies covering a diverse range of allied health disciplines [4]. As of this writing, athletic training [5] and health care management [6] are the two most recent allied health disciplines to be included in the project. The companion project covering nursingrelated fields has produced seventeen studies [7].…”

Longitudinal Evaluation of Journal of Athletic Training Author Credentials: Implications for Future Research Engagement in Athletic Training

“…Currently, a prevalence (.50%) of ATs are now employed in settings other than high schools, colleges, and professional sports (eg, hospitals, physician and physical therapy clinics, and industrial settings), perhaps guided by the opportunity to receive third-party reimbursements. 3,4 The trend toward thirdparty reimbursement in athletic training practice has contributed to an increased use of evidence-based outcomes to guide clinical approaches. 5 However, athletic training scholars are concerned that outcomes research for athletic training is ''lagging behind'' other health care professions and that increased educational rigor might be necessary to facilitate the needed investigations.…”

“…6 Athletic training education has evolved into a more standardized and distinct academic major at the undergraduate and graduate levels, ultimately leading to an increased need for doctoral-educated ATs to fill tenure-track faculty positions. 7 Several authors 4,7 have suggested to include instruction in research methods in entry-level coursework, so that future ATs can gain the tools needed to appraise and potentially contribute to the research base. Currently, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education indicates that statistics and research design should be included in the subject matter that constitutes the ''core'' of the AT academic curriculum.…”

The Soldier-Athlete Initiative: Program Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Athletic Trainers Compared to Musculoskeletal Action Teams in Initial Entry Training, Fort Leonard Wood, June 2010 - December 2011

“…In 2007, one publication mapping the AT literature found 8,678 citations, with 35% of these in 6 medical journals. 54 Although there have been several calls for more evidence-based medicine and outcomes research 55,56 some of the more basic questions in athletic training have not been adequately addressed to date. One of the more fundamental questions is whether or not ATs are effective in reducing the incidence of injuries and/or returning injured athletes more quickly to the athletic field.…”