title: Policies, Procedures, and Practices Regarding Sport-Related Concussion in Community College Athletes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  College sport organizations and associations endorse concussion-management protocols and policies. To date, little information is available on concussion policies and practices at community college institutions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess and describe current practices and policies regarding the assessment, management, and return-to-play criteria for sport-related concussion (SRC) among member institutions of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Web-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 55 head athletic trainers (ATs) at CCCAA institutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data about policies, procedures, and practices regarding SRC were collected over a 3-week period in March 2012 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Fisher exact test, and the Spearman test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost half (47%) of ATs stated they had a policy for SRC assessment, management, and return to play at their institution. They reported being in compliance with baseline testing guidelines (25%), management guidelines (34.5%), and return-to-play guidelines (30%). Nearly 31% of ATs described having an SRC policy in place for academic accommodations. Conference attendance was positively correlated with institutional use of academic accommodations after SRC (r = 0.44, P = .01). The number of meetings ATs attended and their use of baseline testing were also positively correlated (r = 0.38, P = .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At the time of this study, nearly half of CCCAA institutions had concussion policies and 31% had academic-accommodation policies. However, only 18% of ATs at CCCAA institutions were in compliance with all of their concussion policies. Our findings demonstrate improvements in the management of SRCs by ATs at California community colleges compared with previous research but a need for better compliance with SRC policies.
authors.affiliation: California State University Monterey Bay, Seaside;
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paddack
authors.affiliation: University of Delaware, Newark;
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeWolf
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing;
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Covassin
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kontos
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002140:California; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016134:Organizational Policy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000068958:Return to Sport; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: academic accommodations; athletic trainers; continuing education; return to play