More about the Female Athletes and Concussion Study…

What outcomes do we hope to have in our study?

We are launching a new study of female athletes from all sports, and their past and present experiences with concussions. I am working with Dr. Jimmy Sanderson and Dr. Melinda Weathers, two researchers from Clemson University, who are very passionate about concussion education. The study has been approved by the IRB at Clemson University and we plan to publish the results. Through social media and our sports contacts, we hope to find female athletes, age 18 and over, who are willing to participate and have them sign up via PinkConcussions.com. On October 1, participants will be emailed a link to a twenty-minute online survey about their experiences with sports and non-sport concussions and reporting concussions. After October 1, participants can simply launch the survey via a link on PinkConcussions.com.

This is a qualitative study, meaning that rather than trying to predict or control, we are looking to understand from an experiential standpoint, what female athletes experiences are from their point of view. Then we think those results can inform additional studies with other groups that can then be used to generalize. There also is the potential for this study is to look at experiences as well as WHY athletes (in this case female athletes) are not reporting concussions. One of the most visible issues in sports is players, trainers, parents not reporting concussions to coaches, administrators, or doctors, and we wanted to try explore why does communication apprehension or reticence, occur in this context?

Finally, we also hope to create a database of women’s names, ages, sports, concussions, etc with their permission; and hopefully other researchers will want to do follow-up studies in the future.

Most importantly, just simply conducting this study, we want to raise public awareness for women with concussions. The study itself will allow any woman who wishes a chance to tell her story – in survey form – and for her to feel she is a part of our project and hopeful not alone. We hope this study helps in some small way to make this issue visible to the public and press, and creates a community feeling for the women involved.

Short Description of the Study

Dr. Jimmy Sanderson and Dr. Melinda Weathers in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University, along with Ms. Katherine Snedaker, MSW, of PinkConcussions.com, are conducting research to explore female athletes experiences with concussions and reporting concussions.

This research will be beneficial in shedding light on female athletes’ experiences with concussions and reporting concussions. Often female athletes are omitted from the public discourse surrounding concussions and the results of this research will assist concussion advocates in raising more awareness about concussion issues in sports.

The Sample Size

This is how we described how we would find participants for this study for the Clemson IRB application. We are accepting participants from any country.

Katherine “will recruit female athletes using her professional network of contacts. This will involve snowball sampling and networking through social media outletes such as Twitter. Only female atheltes over the age of 18 will be included in the study.”

The Survey

The survey will be “live” on October 1, and the women who volunteer to be in this study will be emailed the link to the study at that time. We plan to continue to enroll women in the study after October 1 through October 31st, 2013, and will directly send them the link at that time.

Type of Sports

We are accepting female participants, age 18 and older, who have played any sports. On the survey, we have an open text box for participants to type in all the sports they have played.

We wanted to be able to see what sports these women played, to learn in which sports they were concussed, and to find out about any non-sport concussions without limiting the participants’ choices. This is a study where women are volunteering to come forward and share their experiences so we really have no idea which women will come forward, from which sports, or what they will share.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Press Release

For Release: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 

Launch of National Study of Female Athletes and Concussions

Study begins October 1, to explore Female Athletes’ Experiences with Concussions

Contact:

Katherine Snedaker, MSW, PinkConcussions.com / 203-984-0860 PinkConcussions@gmail.com

Dr. Jimmy Sanderson, Clemson University / 864-656-3996 jsande6@clemson.edu

Norwalk, CT – Men’s football concussions are in the news daily from former and current players, but there’s rarely news about female athletes’ experiences with concussions. Female athletes experience a significant number of concussions, yet they seem too often overlooked when concussions are discussed in mainstream media. Mentioned in the report American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement: Concussion in Sport 2012, data suggest that in sports with similar rules female athletes sustain more concussions than their male counterparts. In addition, female athletes experience or report a higher number and severity of symptoms as well as a longer duration of recovery than male athletes in several studies.

This new study will be focused on female athletes from all sports, and their past and present experiences with concussions. Current and former athletes are eligible for this study conducted by researchers from Clemson University with the advocacy group, Pink Concussions. For this study, female athletes, age 18 and over, who are willing to participate can sign up now at PinkConcussions.com. On October 1, participants will be emailed a link to a twenty-minute online survey about their experiences with sports and non-sport concussions and reporting concussions.

This research study will also explore female athletes’ experiences with reporting concussions, another salient avenue in the concussions dialogue, as many athletes do not report concussions willingly or are mis-diagnosed.

The research also will investigate female athletes’ willingness to have genetic testing that may show links to the repair and recovery of brain cells after concussion. After finishing the survey, participants in the study can opt for an additional study and consider submitting DNA collected by a cheek swab to be tested for variants at the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene.  Testing for certain genes has previously documented an association between specific genetic factors and outcomes from injuries such as concussion.

Apolipoprotein E is a protein that is important in the repair and recovery of brain cells that have been damaged due to concussion. The clinical studies point to a relationship between certain genetic signatures and poorer overall concussion response. While additional evidence is needed to better understand the relationship between APOE status and concussion outcomes, the American Academy of Neurology introduced APOE testing into concussion management guidelines this year.

The results of this research will help further concussion research by focusing on the communicative element present in this issue, and the results of the study will be helpful for athletes, parents, administrators, physicians, and advocates. This research will be beneficial in shedding light on female athletes’ experiences with concussions and reporting concussions. Often female athletes are omitted from the public discourse surrounding concussions and the results of this research will assist concussion advocates in raising more awareness about concussion issues in sports.

Co-Researchers in this study are Dr. Jimmy Sanderson and Dr. Melinda Weathers in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University, along with Ms. Katherine Snedaker, MSW, of PinkConcussions.com.

# # #

For more information about this study, help in recruiting athletes or to participate in the study, please fill the contact form at PinkConcussions.com or contact: Dr. Jimmy Sanderson

Clemson University

jsande6@clemson.edu

864-656-3996 

Launch of National Study of Female Athletes and Concussions

Press Release For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 

Launch of National Study of Female Athletes and Concussions

Study begins October 1, to explore Female Athletes’ Experiences with Concussions

Contact:

Katherine Snedaker, MSW, PinkConcussions.com / 203-984-0860 PinkConcussions@gmail.com

Dr. Jimmy Sanderson, Clemson University / 864-656-3996             jsande6@clemson.edu

Norwalk, CT – Men’s football concussions are in the news daily from former and current players, but there's rarely news about female athletes' experiences with concussions. Female athletes experience a significant number of concussions, yet they seem too often overlooked when concussions are discussed in mainstream media. Mentioned in the report American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement: Concussion in Sport 2012, data suggest that in sports with similar rules female athletes sustain more concussions than their male counterparts. In addition, female athletes experience or report a higher number and severity of symptoms as well as a longer duration of recovery than male athletes in several studies.

This new study will be focused on female athletes from all sports, and their past and present experiences with concussions. Current and former athletes are eligible for this study conducted by researchers from Clemson University with the advocacy group, Pink Concussions. For this study, female athletes, age 18 and over, who are willing to participate can sign up now at PinkConcussions.com. On October 1, participants will be emailed a link to a twenty-minute online survey about their experiences with sports and non-sport concussions and reporting concussions.

This research study will also explore female athletes' experiences with reporting concussions, another salient avenue in the concussions dialogue, as many athletes do not report concussions willingly or are mis-diagnosed.

The research also will investigate female athletes' willingness to have genetic testing that may show links to the repair and recovery of brain cells after concussion. After finishing the survey, participants in the study can opt for an additional study and consider submitting DNA collected by a cheek swab to be tested for variants at the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene.  Testing for certain genes has previously documented an association between specific genetic factors and outcomes from injuries such as concussion.

Apolipoprotein E is a protein that is important in the repair and recovery of brain cells that have been damaged due to concussion. The clinical studies point to a relationship between certain genetic signatures and poorer overall concussion response. While additional evidence is needed to better understand the relationship between APOE status and concussion outcomes, the American Academy of Neurology introduced APOE testing into concussion management guidelines this year.

The results of this research will help further concussion research by focusing on the communicative element present in this issue, and the results of the study will be helpful for athletes, parents, administrators, physicians, and advocates. This research will be beneficial in shedding light on female athletes’ experiences with concussions and reporting concussions. Often female athletes are omitted from the public discourse surrounding concussions and the results of this research will assist concussion advocates in raising more awareness about concussion issues in sports.

Co-Researchers in this study are Dr. Jimmy Sanderson and Dr. Melinda Weathers in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University, along with Ms. Katherine Snedaker, MSW, of PinkConcussions.com.

# # #

For more information about this study, help in recruiting athletes or to be a participate, please fill the contact form at PinkConcussions.com or contact:

Dr. Jimmy Sanderson

Clemson University

jsande6@clemson.edu

864-656-3996

Katherine Snedaker

PinkConcussions.com

PinkConcussions@gmail.com

203-984-0860

Why the fuss over Wambach's concussion?

Here are the issues why there is a fuss over Soccer's Abby Wambach's recent head injury and the ref's decision to stop the AT from examining her after she collapsed in the game. 1. Asking a concussed player if he/she is ok to play is like asking a drunk if he/she is ok to to drive. 2. Women are different than men when it comes to head injuries. 3. Children role model their play on how professional athletes play.

Concussed players are impaired and cannot make a determination if they are ok to play. This is one of the main the reasons that ATCs and other medical staff are present at games.

On the second point, we know women concuss at a higher rate then men but we are only at the point of guessing why due to neck strength, hormones, and/or genetic factors. And in general, women in general take longer to recover from concussions.

From American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement: Concussion in Sport 2012, page 6:

"Recent data suggest that in sports with similar rules female athletes sustain more concussions than their male counterparts.

- In addition, female athletes experience or report a higher number and severity of symptoms as well as a longer duration of recovery than male athletes in several studies."

And I am convinced that it is not because women being more honest, sensitive or fearful to return to sports. There is a real issue here. I recently presented in Washington, DC, at the Institute of Medicine (IOM)/National Research Council (NRC) workshop on sports-related concussions in youth where almost every presentation brought up the issue of women and concussions and the need for more studies. The most alarming moment was when Tim Kelly, Head ATC of West Point spoke of how he sees a longer recovery time needed for his female cadets athletes than his male cadets. If there ever was a cohort of similar males to females as far as physical strength, personal determination and fortitude, I think West Point Cadets is it. Women are not just more honest, sensitive or fearful to return to sports. There is a real issue here.

So the bottom line is we have to educate parents, girls, coaches, trainers and doctors about head injuries and the risks. I spent my days working on this issue but there is no funding and only a few select media moments where we can get the message out.

On Super Bowl Sunday 2013, JIm Nantz provided one moment when he stated on a pre-game show with Roger Goodell that “women’s soccer players are 2 1/2 times more likely to suffer a concussion than college football player." What Nantz meant to say was to compare women’s soccer to "men soccer", not to football players. This “misquote” caused controversy as press, and soccer-football fans alike scrambled to google the correct statistics. It also was the inspiration for our website www.PinkConcussions.com all about the issues of female concussions.

And on the last point, children are watching and do model their style of play on adults. How an athlete plays to how they celebrate a victory after a goal are all absorbed in by young players. Wambach's decision to play on and ref and trainer's response was a golden teachable moment. The medical staff, coaching staff and the ref had a chance to stop play and check her out which would have been following their own protocol. This did not happen and thus Stefan's article and the media response has been a windfall to spread concussion education to more people, parents and players.

Sports Culture will always be more powerful than any warning from a doctor or lecture from an educator... We are hoping to change the current sports culture about playing thru head injuries and making refs. coaches and ATCs more aware of the need to check out players right after the hit and not just after the game.