title: High School Athletes' Parents' Perceptions and Knowledge of the Skills and Job Requirements of the Certified Athletic Trainer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parents play a crucial role in determining medical services for their children, and it is important they understand the scope of practice and skills of the athletic trainer (AT).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand parents' perceptions and knowledge of the skills and job requirements of the secondary school AT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sport meetings and banquets at 5 high schools in southwest Michigan during the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 539 parents whose children competed in at least 1 high school sport participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Parents' Perceptions and Knowledge of Certified Athletic Trainers Survey consisting of 32 questions, divided into 3 sections (demographics, perceptions, and knowledge), was developed and given to parents of high school athletes. One-way analyses of variance were used to determine significance among 3 categories of experience and perception and knowledge of ATs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 539 parents who responded, 28% responded yes, and 72% responded no to having experience with an AT for their own injuries. When asked if they had experience with an AT due to their child's injuries, 60% responded yes. We found a difference among the 3 categories of experience for perception scores (P = .002) and knowledge scores (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the absence of past experience with an AT, parents' perceptions and knowledge of the skills and job requirements of the secondary school AT are limited. Athletic trainers should educate parents on their professional roles, which may enhance their ability to provide better health care.
authors.affiliation: IU Health La Porte Hospital, South Bend, IN;
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Weitzel
authors.affiliation: IU Health La Porte Hospital, South Bend, IN;|Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: IU Health La Porte Hospital, South Bend, IN;|Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo.
authors.forename: Erin R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Giannotta
authors.affiliation: IU Health La Porte Hospital, South Bend, IN;|Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D002568:Certification; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000592:standards*; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: awareness; guardians; secondary schools