Research In Action

Public awareness of pediatric concussion has become more commonplace over the past decade. Through translational research and expert clinical care for the treatment of pediatric concussion, the Minds Matter Concussion Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is an international leader in setting standards of care and advancing interventions that can improve health outcomes for children. 

One significant piece of our work has been the education of students participating in interscholastic sports within the CHOP service area. 

Minds Matter research published in the journal Exercise, Sport, and Movement details how much students can benefit from this type of education. While the Minds Matter Concussion team found that starting the conversation about concussion through education can improve knowledge, attitudes, and perception about concussion, we also found disparities between students with varying Child Opportunity Index (COI) scores (a scoring method that can comprehensively assess neighborhood-level opportunities available to our children). These disparities existed before and after education in schools where lower COI scores were recorded, indicating that we need to do more than just increase young people’s knowledge around concussion, especially in lower-resourced communities. 

Our overall body of research presents takeaways for all responsible for the care and safety of student athletes and their classmates.

Clinicians 

Those caring for pediatric concussion patients in a clinical setting should be proponents of education and should consider including concussion education as a part of well visits or Preparticipation Exams (PPE). Clinicians should also be mindful of the impact of varying levels of opportunity/vulnerability, and that some patients and families may have less foundational knowledge and access to resources critical to recovery than others. This may be reflected in their behaviors and in how they report injuries and symptoms. 

School Administrators 

At all ages, school officials should encourage concussion education with the goals of reducing the number of injuries that go unreported and to ensure better health outcomes for student athletes. Similarly, schools can try to combat disparities by providing annual education early in the school year and can do so with an understanding of barriers to learning for their specific student population. 

Community Organizations 

Recreational programs and community organizations can use these findings for a similar purpose—and with the safety of program participants as the main goal. The Minds Matter Concussion Program is currently partnering with the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation to do just that. Our team has developed a specialized online concussion training program for parks and rec staff to help improve their concussion awareness and guidance. 

Policymakers 

Our research provides more insight into the potential benefits of mandating concussion education not only for coaches and medical staff that support interscholastic sports (as is current mandate in most states), but also for students, teachers, and administrators. 

In a recent study, Minds Matter researchers found that concussion was more prevalent in children ages 5 to 12 in recreational (37.3%) and non-sport/non-recreation-related (31.9%) settings, compared to sport-related settings (30.9%). This study reveals a gap where concussion education, required for professionals interacting with young athletes, may not benefit youth who sustain a concussion outside of organized sport. We know it’s important for any concussion-injured youth to seek care early in order to achieve better outcomes in their recovery. 

Policymakers should be aware of COI and other social determinants of health that may directly influence the foundational knowledge youth receive about concussion, and the resultant attitudes and perception formed through their specific context of COI, family unit, and other personal, interpersonal, societal, and environmental factors. 

Patients/Families 

With an understanding that concussion education can positively impact the health and safety of children of all ages, parents and caregivers should seek out this type of education from the above groups, as well as from reputable experts such as the Minds Matter program. With this knowledge, children can be more aware of potential impacts of head injuries and the importance of reporting symptoms, and those caring for them can be more aware to avoid any potential long-term health impacts. 

Please look out for our accepted paper to be published in Exercise, Sport, and Movement in the coming months. To get news about our latest research, sign up for the Minds Matter Research in Action newsletter.