title: Survey of high school athletic programs in Iowa regarding infections and infection prevention policies and practices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess high school athletic programs' infection prevention policies and procedures and to estimate the frequency of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) among Iowa's high school athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  An on-line survey of high school athletic programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly 60% of programs responded. Schools in higher classifications were more likely to have a certified athletic trainer (AT; P < 0.0001) and to report that they had a policy preventing athletes with SSTIs from participating in athletic events than were schools in lower classifications (P = 0.0002). Programs that had an AT reported that athletic training equipment (P = 0.01) and tables (P = 0.02) were cleaned more frequently than did programs without ATs. Programs were significantly more likely to provide training equipment than to provide soap or towels. About 57% of programs reported that at least one athlete acquired an SSTI during the prior school year, including methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (N = 14; 10.8%). Programs that had an AT (P = 0.02) were in higher classifications (P < 0.0001), educated athletes about SSTIs (P < 0.0001), or had policies regarding athletes with SSTIs (P = 0.01) were more likely than other programs to report having at least one athlete with an SSTI. The estimated SSTI rate per 1000 athletes ranged from 22.0 in 1A to 5.9 in 4A programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSTIs are common among Iowa's high school athletes. Staff should review and update their infection prevention policies. Athletic programs need resources to support infection prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and University of Iowa College of Public Health , Iowa City , IA 52242 ; University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine , Iowa City , IA 52242.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beste
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Diekema
authors.forename: M Bridget
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: Loreen A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Herwaldt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013177:Sports; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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