Monday, October 22, 2012

Concerned About Concussions

Teenagers often think they're "bulletproof." So, it's no surprise that a new study shows most high school football players aren't concerned about the long-term effects of concussions.

New research on the topic was just presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics national conference. Data was gathered from 134 high school varsity players who were asked to answer a multiple choice questionnaire via the internet.

The confidential survey covered everything from previous concussion history to ability to recognize symptoms, awareness of potential long-term health risks, and whether their attitudes have changed as concussion education improved.

Fewer than 10 percent of the players reported that they have been diagnosed with a concussion by a physician or team trainer. 32 percent reported they had concussion-like symptoms at some point over the past two years, but did not seek medical attention.

The reason? Most said they were afraid of losing playing time. Only 38% of the athletes surveyed said they were concerned about long-term effects of concussions.

Overall, the study shows that while growing media attention has increased awareness about the dangers of concussion it hasn't done much to change behavior.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news the doctors are reading – health news that matters to you.

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