Sport-Related Concussions: Knowledge Translation Among Minor Hockey Coaches

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate minor hockey coaches' knowledge base of sport-related concussions. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Subjects independently completed the written survey at preseason organizational meetings. Participants: One hundred seventy-eight active coaches spanning 5 age levels (ages 5-15 years). Coaches reported 2.62 +/- 3.73 years of coaching experience. Main Outcome Measures: Resources where coaches obtained information about concussions, perceptions of variables associated with concussions, knowledge level of issues associated with concussions, and decision-making practices. Results: Newspapers and magazines were the most frequent source of information regarding concussions, yet were rated as not very helpful. Family physicians were less frequently sought but were rated as most helpful. A majority of coaches reported limited knowledge about concussions but rated this knowledge as being important. There was a significant relationship between head coaching experience and concussion knowledge [R(2)= 0.09, F3,156 = 4.41, P = 0.005]. Most coaches demonstrated a good knowledge base of common issues associated with concussions, and a majority of individuals correctly identified return-to-play practices. Conclusions: A majority of minor hockey coaches correctly recognized and understood issues related to sport-related concussions. Results suggested that knowledge translation through various formal and informal sources has had a positive effect. However, a majority of coaches reported having limited knowledge about concussions yet consider it an important topic.