Ethical Issues Surrounding Concussions and Player Safety

Having worked in the sports industry for several years, I am acutely aware of the ethical issues surrounding concussions and player safety. There are several problems, including the lack of research into the prevalence of concussions in athletes, the self-reporting of symptoms by athletes, and the conflicts of interest between medical staff and athletes.

Providing health care to athletes is a balancing act. Doctors must provide care that is in line with a player's goals. They must also be vigilant about underreporting symptoms. They must also keep players from returning to the field prematurely.

While there is no doubt that some players receive excellent health care from outside their clubs, there are also players who have very little access to quality health care. This makes it all the more important for healthcare providers to be vigilant about players who underreport symptoms.

Some players are sophisticated about the health care they receive. It is not a good idea to put all of a player's health information in the hands of one person. Providing players with relevant health information about relationships and risks to their health, in general, will also help.

The first step in reducing this problem is to eliminate the underlying conflict. One way to do this is to split the responsibilities of doctors. This would allow each doctor to focus on their strengths while also avoiding a dual-loyalty problem.

Increasing numbers of sports-related concussions have led to a closer dialogue about player safety. The majority of post-discharge management involves player education on red flag signs. The role of symptom reporting in concussion evaluation is also receiving increased attention. A study published recently evaluated the concussion-reporting behaviours of athletes. It found that many student-athletes reported clusters of concussion-like symptoms.

Students with a history of concussions reported a modest increase in risk for reporting clusters of symptoms. However, this association was weaker than the association with other preexisting conditions.

The study also found that US high school athletes with access to athletic trainers had a greater understanding of concussions. However, the participants did not report concussions because they believed the severity of the injury did not warrant immediate removal from play.

This study provides evidence that the environment may influence the reporting behaviour of athletes. The results suggest that a family medicine provider's approach to concussion management should encourage athletes to report head injuries. In addition, a provider should explain that a complete history of symptoms will not prevent an athlete from playing sports.

Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine reported that the prevalence of concussions and player safety is unknown. The report highlighted the need for comprehensive incidence data. It also noted that surveillance methods likely underestimate the number of concussions among youths.

The CDC analyzed data from the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to address this need. It is important to note that this study does not cover sports that do not involve head impact.

The study analyzed the prevalence of concussions reported by high school athletes. It also investigated the relative risk of concussions among middle and high school athletes. In particular, the authors aimed to understand the difference in risk among male and female athletes.

Students who participated in two or more sports reported higher rates of concussions than those who did not. These findings support efforts to educate youths about the risks of concussions. They also highlight the need for practices, policies, and programs that address concussions.