The Impact of a High School Sports-Related Concussion Program and Injury Surveillance System

ABSTRACT Introduction The purpose of this study was to examine all sports-related concussions at 35 public high schools in a Florida county system from the 2012 to the 2022 school years and to assess whether a dedicated concussion management program and surveillance system improved concussion outcomes between the first and second 5-yr period. Method In this retrospective cohort study, sports-related concussion data were entered into a data system by certified athletic trainers. Data included demographics, concussion-event and clinic-visit reports, and return-to-play information. Results Over the 10-yr period, a total of 1641 concussions were reported. Of those, 1201 were in males and 440 were in females. The sports with the highest incidence of concussions included football, soccer, basketball, and wrestling. Significant differences were found between the first 5 yr and second 5 yr for days between injury and first clinic date, days withheld, and the percentage returning to play. Conclusions The overall findings suggest that implementing a dedicated concussion program and injury surveillance system improves rates of return to play, decreases days withheld, and leads to prompter treatment following injury. The program can be used as a model and implemented in similar athletic departments in other school districts to manage concussions, identify risk factors, and develop injury prevention programs to protect student athletes.