The knowledge and decision making behaviors of NCAA division I soccer coaches and athletes toward concussions

The purpose of this study was to determine concussion knowledge and attitudes of NCAA Division I soccer coaches (n=40) and athletes (n=66) as measured by the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes survey completed online. Both coaches and athletes demonstrated moderate to strong knowledge of concussion identification while exhibiting deficits in the areas concerning concussion diagnosis and severity. With regard to attitudes towards concussions, athletes exhibited statistically significantly more unsafe attitudes than coaches regarding concussion management during games and practices (p < 0.002). Many athletes indicated a willingness to play with a concussion, a behavior embedded in competitive sports culture. This study highlights the need for intentional concussion education that moves beyond identification of concussion and begins to change the attitudes of athletes towards playing while concussed.