title: Reported Concussion Rates for Three Division I Football Programs: An Evaluation of the New NCAA Concussion Policy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been increased interest in the number of concussions occurring in college football over the past year. In April 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) published new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of concussions in student athletes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the number of concussions that occurred on 3 collegiate Division I military academy football teams prior to and following recent changes in the NCAA concussion management policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive epidemiology study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Injury reports were reviewed from 3 Division I military academy football teams. The number of concussions that occurred over the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons, including those sustained in practice and game situations, was determined for each team. Incidence rates were compared using the exact binomial method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The combined concussion incidence rate doubled from 0.57 per 1000 athlete exposures in the 2009-2010 season to 1.16 per 1000 athlete exposures in the 2010-2011 season (incidence rate ratio, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.2-3.55; P = 0.01). The combined numbers of concussions for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons were 23 (40,481 exposures) and 42 (36,228), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined incidence rate of concussions for the 2010-2011 season doubled from the previous season after the implementation of new NCAA policies on concussion management. While the institution of a more formalized concussion plan on the part of medical staff is one possible factor, another may have been the increased recognition and reporting on the part of players and coaches after the rule change.
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Kelly G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kilcoyne
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Jonathan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dickens
authors.affiliation: United States Military Academy, John A. Feagin, Jr. Sports Medicine Fellowship, Keller Army Hospital, West Point, New York.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Svoboda
authors.affiliation: United States Military Academy, John A. Feagin, Jr. Sports Medicine Fellowship, Keller Army Hospital, West Point, New York.
authors.forename: Brett D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.affiliation: United States Military Academy, John A. Feagin, Jr. Sports Medicine Fellowship, Keller Army Hospital, West Point, New York.
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
authors.forename: John-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rue
keywords: NCAA; concussion; incidence; mild traumatic brain injury