Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers examined whether race (Black or White) influences outcomes and subjective experiences in young athletes who have sustained a sports-related concussion. Of primary interest were how long it takes for symptom resolution and return to school as well as changes in daily activities and sports behaviors. Findings of the study can be found in the article “Exploring the outcomes and experiences of Black and White athletes following a sport-related concussion: a retrospective cohort study” by Aaron M. Yengo-Kahn, MD, and colleagues, published today in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics (https://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2021.2.PEDS2130).
The study was performed with the aid of the Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Registry. The researchers focused on 36 Black and 211 White young athletes (12 to 23 years of age) who sustained a sports-related concussion and were treated between 2012 and 2015. Data were collected via a review of medical records and telephone communications with the athletes and their parents or guardians.
Race was determined on the basis of self-identification by the study participants. Standardized phone interviews were used to elicit information on the young athletes’ outcomes and subjective experiences following the concussion. Patient demographics, family financial status (based on zip code–defined median incomes), and health insurance status were also collected. The data collected were cross-validated with information in patients’ electronic health records; discrepancies were resolved by additional phone contacts. The data were examined using descriptive analyses, multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, and logistic regression.
