Secondary School Administrators' Perceptions and Knowledge of the Athletic Training Profession, Part I: Specific Considerations for Athletic Directors

Abstract Context: Athletic directors are charged with making impactful decisions for secondary school athletic programs that mitigate risk for stakeholders involved. This includes decision-making regarding the provision of medical care for student-athletes. To date, limited research has explored athletic directors' perceptions of athletic training. Objective: To evaluate public school athletic directors' knowledge and perceptions of the athletic trainer (AT) role. Design: Concurrent mixed methods. Setting: Cross-sectional online questionnaire. Patients or Other Participants: Athletic directors representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia (n=954; 818 males, 133 females, 3 preferred not to answer; age = 47.8 ± 9.1 years; years in current role = 9.8 ± 8.3). Intervention(s): Questionnaire composed of demographics, various quantitative measures assessing athletic directors' knowledge and perceived value of ATs, and open-ended questions allowing for expansion on their perspectives. Main Outcome Measure(s): Descriptive statistics were reported, with key quantitative findings presented as count response and overall percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed using the general inductive approach. Results: A majority of respondents recognized the ATs' role in injury prevention (99.8%), first aid/wound care (98.8%), therapeutic interventions (93.8%), and emergency care (91.6%). Approximately 61% (n=582) identified AT employment as a top sport safety measure, and 77% (n=736) considered an AT to be extremely valuable to student-athlete health and safety. Athletic directors appeared to recognize the value of ATs as they provide “peace of mind” and remove the responsibility of making medical decisions from coaches and administration. Conclusions: Athletic directors appeared to recognize the value ATs bring to the secondary school setting and demonstrated adequate knowledge regarding ATs' roles and responsibilities. Educational efforts for this population should focus on AT-related tasks that are not frequently seen in the public eye, yet add to perceived value, in order to potentially influence hiring decisions.

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Secondary School Administrators' Perceptions and Knowledge of the Athletic Training Profession, Part II: Specific Considerations for Principals

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/55-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alicia M. Pike Lacy ◽

Christianne M. Eason ◽

Rebecca L. Stearns ◽

Douglas J. Casa

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Medical Information ◽

School Principals ◽

School Administrators ◽

Secondary School Principals ◽

The United States ◽

Count Response ◽

Secondary School Administrators ◽

Principals Perceptions

Abstract Context: Secondary school administrators fulfill many leadership roles, including creating and implementing policies to help ensure the safety of athletic programs. However, limited research has examined principals' perceptions and awareness of the athletic trainer (AT) role. Objective: To explore secondary school principals' perceptions of athletic training and knowledge related to the roles and responsibilities of ATs. Design: Concurrent mixed methods. Setting: Cross-sectional online questionnaire. Patients or Other Participants: Principals (n=686) representing public secondary schools across the United States (age = 48.1±7.8 years, years in position = 7.1±5.8). Intervention(s): Web-based questionnaire composed of demographics, various quantitative items assessing knowledge and perceived value of ATs, and open-ended questions. Main Outcome Measure(s): Descriptive statistics summarize demographic data. Select quantitative measures are reported as count response and overall percentages. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed inductively. Results: We obtained a 5% response rate (686/13,517). Approximately 93% (n=637) of responding principals considered an AT to be a trusted source of medical information. The most frequently selected skills they believed ATs were qualified to perform included ‘injury prevention' (99.1%), ‘first aid/wound care' (96.5%), and ‘therapeutic intervention' (91.4%). Sixty-three percent (n=430) of respondents considered an AT ‘extremely valuable' to student-athlete health and safety. Our results indicate secondary school principals have a vague understanding of AT “training” and appreciate the immediacy of care ATs can provide. They also appear to utilize decentralized hiring practices. Conclusions: Secondary school principals recognize the role ATs play in the immediate care of athletic-related injuries and identify ATs as a trusted source of medical information. However, principals have limited understanding of the qualifications and educational requirements of ATs. Future professional advocacy efforts, targeting this stakeholder group, should highlight all medical services an AT provides and emphasize the AT's value in schools that sponsor athletics programs.

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Factors Influencing a Student's Choice of a Graduate Professional Athletic Training Program

Athletic Training Education Journal ◽

10.4085/150119115 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 177-185

Author(s):

Alyson Dearie ◽

Deborah Van Langen ◽

Julie M. Cavallario ◽

Sonya A. Comins

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Training Program ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Online Survey ◽

Graduate Program ◽

Doctoral Degree ◽

Pass Rate ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample

Context As the professional degree in athletic training transitions to the master's level, a growing concern for programs is enrollment. Understanding the factors that influence a student's choice of a graduate program in athletic training will provide institutions with vital information for marketing and enrollment management. Objective To explore factors that influence a student's choice of a professional graduate athletic training program. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Online survey. Patients or Other Participants A total of 52 participants from a convenience sample of 140 graduate students enrolled in a graduate professional athletic training program completed the survey: 43 females (82.7%) and 9 males (17.3%). Data Collection and Analysis Data collection took place over 4 weeks between April and May 2019. Participants completed an online questionnaire that consisted of 11 demographic items, 6 Likert-scale items about factors that may have influenced school choice, and 2 open-ended questions about career goals and pursuing a doctoral degree. We calculated descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, and percentages. Results Factors ranked as very important in influencing a student's choice fell within the categories of athletic training program and athletic training program faculty. Those ranked as not important were related to ethnicity and gender. Additionally, over half of the participants indicated an intended career path within the college or professional setting. Conclusions Although a variety of factors can influence a student's choice of graduate school, today's consumer seems mostly interested in program factors such as Board of Certification pass rate, accreditation status, and clinical sites. As programs transition to the graduate level, marketing and recruitment strategies should be designed around these factors to ensure enrollment.

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The Level of Medical Services and Secondary School-Aged Athletes

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-47.1.91 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 91-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Terry L. DeWitt ◽

Scott A. Unruh ◽

Srivatsa Seshadri

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Secondary Schools ◽

American Academy ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Medical Services ◽

Athletic Programs ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

American Academy Of Pediatrics

Context: Medical organizations have recommended that administrators, parents, and community leaders explore every opportunity to make interscholastic athletic programs safe for participation, including employing athletic trainers at practices and competitive events. Objective: To determine the overall level of medical services provided for secondary school-aged athletes at high school athletic events in a rural southern state, to evaluate the employment of athletic trainers in the provision of medical services in secondary schools, and to compare athletic training medical services provided at athletic events among schools of various sizes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Questionnaires were sent to administrators at 199 secondary schools. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 144 administrators, including interscholastic athletic directors and school principals, from 199 secondary schools participated (72% response rate). Main Outcome Measure(s): Participants completed the Self-Appraisal Checklist for Health Supervision in Scholastic Athletic Programs from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has been demonstrated to be valid and reliable. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to measure differences in groups. Results: We found differences in cumulative scores when measuring between institutional classifications (P≤.05). Cumulative scores for the Event Coverage section of the instrument ranged from 80.5 to 109.6 out of a total possible score of 126. We also found differences in several factors identified in the Event Coverage section (P≤.05). Conclusions: The number of coaching staff certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid was minimal. Most schools did not have a plan for providing minimal emergency equipment, ice, or water for visiting teams. We found that 88% (n = 7) of the 8 essential Event Coverage components that the American Academy of Pediatrics deems important were not addressed by schools represented in our study.

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Adoption of Lightning Best-Practices Policies in the Secondary School Setting

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/175-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

SE Scarneo-Miller ◽

KW Flanagan ◽

LN Belval ◽

JK Register-Mihalik ◽

DJ Casa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Best Practices ◽

Secondary School ◽

Process Model ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

School Setting ◽

Position Statement ◽

Adoption Process ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lightning Safety

Abstract Context: Lightning-related injuries are among the top ten causes of sport-related death at all levels of sport, including the nearly 8 million athletes participating in secondary school sports. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the adoption of lightning policies and the influencing factors for the development of a comprehensive policy in United States secondary schools. Design: Cross-Sectional. Setting: Secondary School. Patients or Other Participants: Athletic trainers (ATs). Main Outcome Measure(s): An online questionnaire was developed using the NATA Position Statement: Lightning Safety for Athletics and Recreation using a health behavior model, the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM), along with facilitators and barriers to identify current adoption of lightning-related policies and factors influencing adoption of lightning policies. PAPM stage (unaware for need, unaware if have, unengaged, undecided, decided not to act, decided to act, acting, maintaining) responses are presented as frequencies. Chi-square tests of associations and prevalence ratios were calculated to compare respondents in higher and lower vulnerability states, defined based on data regarding lightning-related deaths. Results: The response rate for this questionnaire was 13.43% (n=365), with additional questionnaires completed via social media (n=56). A majority of ATs reported “maintaining” (69%, n=287) and “acting” (6.5%, n=27) a comprehensive lightning policy. Approximately 1 in 4 athletic trainers (25.1%, n=106) reported using flash-to-bang as an evacuation criterion. ATs practicing in higher-vulnerability states were more likely to adopt a lightning policy than those in lower-vulnerability states (57.4% v 42.6%, PR=1.16 (1.03, 1.30); p=0.009). The most commonly reported facilitator and barrier were a requirement from a state high school athletics association and financial limitations, respectively. Conclusions: A majority of ATs reported adopting (e.g., “maintaining” and “acting”) the best practices for lightning safety. However, many AT's also reported continued use of outdated methods (e.g., flash-to-bang).

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Prevalence of Protein and Pre-Workout Supplement Use among High School Football Players and Potential Product Contamination

Global Pediatric Health ◽

10.1177/2333794x211031202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 2333794X2110312

Author(s):

Tal Shoshan ◽

Eric Post

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Secondary School ◽

National Sample ◽

Football Players ◽

Questionnaire Data ◽

High School Football ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Supplement Use ◽

Supplement Usage

The purpose was to determine the prevalence of protein and pre-workout supplement usage in high school football players and how many products contained banned substances or dangerous ingredients. A national sample of 102 high school football players was recruited via Qualtrics Research Panels to complete a cross-sectional online questionnaire. Data were summarized as means with standard deviations (SDs) and frequencies with proportions (%). A majority (59.8%) of high school football players reported currently using a protein supplement. Just under one-third (29.4%) reported currently using pre-workout supplements. Five participants reported using a pre-workout product that contained a known NCAA banned substance. Many of the products used contain banned, regulated elsewhere, or unknown substances. Secondary school ATs must educate athletes regarding the use of nutritional supplements and the potential dangers of ingesting banned or unknown substances.

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Sex and Employment-Setting Differences in Work-Family Conflict in Athletic Training

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1052-6050-50.2.14 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 50 (9) ◽

pp. 958-963 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽

Christianne M. Eason ◽

William A. Pitney ◽

Megan N. Mueller

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Family Conflict ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Work Family Conflict ◽

Traditional Practice ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Occupational Setting ◽

Work Family ◽

Willingness To Use

Context Work-family conflict (WFC) has received much attention in athletic training, yet several factors related to this phenomenon have not been examined, specifically a practitioner's sex, occupational setting, willingness to leave the profession, and willingness to use work-leave benefits. Objective To examine how sex and occupational differences in athletic training affect WFC and to examine willingness to leave the profession and use work-leave benefits. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Multiple occupational settings, including clinic/outreach, education, collegiate, industrial, professional sports, secondary school, and sales. Patients or Other Participants A total of 246 athletic trainers (ATs) (men = 110, women = 136) participated. Of these, 61.4% (n = 151) were between 20 and 39 years old. Main Outcome Measures(s) Participants responded to a previously validated and reliable WFC instrument. We created and validated a 3-item instrument that assessed willingness to use work-leave benefits, which demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.88), as well as a single question about willingness to leave the profession. Results The mean (± SD) WFC score was 16.88 ± 4.4 (range = 5 [least amount of conflict] to 25 [highest amount of conflict]). Men scored 17.01 ± 4.5, and women scored 16.76 ± 4.36, indicating above-average WFC. We observed no difference between men and women based on conflict scores (t244 = 0.492, P = .95) or their willingness to leave the profession (t244 = −1.27, P = .21). We noted differences among ATs in different practice settings (F8,245 = 5.015, P <.001); those in collegiate and secondary school settings had higher reported WFC scores. A negative relationship existed between WFC score and comfort using work-leave benefits (2-tailed r = −0.533, P < .001). Comfort with using work-leave benefits was different among practice settings (F8,245 = 3.01, P = .003). Conclusions The ATs employed in traditional practice settings reported higher levels of WFC. Male and female ATs had comparable experiences of WFC and willingness to leave the profession.

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Influence of State-Level Emergency Planning Policy Requirements on Secondary School Adoption

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-118-19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (10) ◽

pp. 1062-1069 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller ◽

Zachary Y. Kerr ◽

William M. Adams ◽

Luke N. Belval ◽

Douglas J. Casa

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Action Plan ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

State Level ◽

Prevalence Ratio ◽

Position Statement ◽

Emergency Planning ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Training Requirements

Context Emergency action plans (EAPs) are a critical component in the management of catastrophic sport-related injury. Some state high school athletics associations and state legislation have required that schools develop EAPs, but little research exists on the influence of a statewide policy requirement on local adoption of these policies. Objective To examine the efficacy of a statewide policy requirement on local adoption of an EAP. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Online questionnaire. Patients or Other Participants Secondary school athletic trainers were invited to complete a survey (n = 9642); 1136 completed the survey, yielding an 11.7% response rate. Main Outcome Measure(s) Survey responses on the adoption of EAPs along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator (CPR/AED) requirements were cross-referenced with published statewide policies to determine the prevalence of EAP adoption. We evaluated the adoption of emergency action plan components based on the National Athletic Trainers' Association's emergency planning position statement along with CPR/AED requirements to determine component-specific prevalence. We compared the prevalence of EAP and component adoption between states that required EAPs and specific components of EAPs and states without such requirements. Results Athletic trainers in states that required adoption of an EAP reported including more components of the emergency planning position statement (mean = 8 ± 4, median = 9) than in states without a requirement (mean = 7 ± 4, median = 8). The adoption of EAP components did not differ between states that required specific components of the EAP versus development of the EAP only. However, schools in states with both EAP and CPR/AED training requirements reported higher rates of CPR/AED training implementation (95.5%) than states that only required CPR/AED training (81.6%, prevalence ratio = 1.10, 95% confidence interval = 1.01, 1.20). Conclusions Based on these data, statewide policy requirements for the development of an EAP may be associated with increasing adoption of EAPs.

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Age, Sex, and Setting Factors and Labor Force in Athletic Training

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-46.4.424 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 424-430 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Leamor Kahanov ◽

Lindsey E. Eberman

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Athletic Trainers ◽

Demographic Data ◽

School Level ◽

Male Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Occupational Setting ◽

Marked Decline ◽

Occupational Settings

Context: Occupation or occupational setting shifts might be occurring in the athletic training profession, and differences between sexes might exist; however, little evidence exists to confirm this supposition. Objective: To evaluate trends in male and female athletic training employment patterns in terms of age and occupational setting. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: We requested demographic data from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (October 27, 2009) and obtained frequency totals of members by sex across the occupational life span by occupational setting. Patients or Other Participants: Our sample included 18 571 athletic trainers employed in the 3 largest classifications of occupational settings within the profession: college or university, clinical, and secondary school. Main Outcome Measure(s): We calculated frequencies and percentages to determine demographic and descriptive data. We analyzed the data using an analysis of variance to identify the differences between sexes across age and setting. Results: We observed trends in occupational setting and sex across ages 22 to 67 years. We identified differences between sexes across the ages 22 to 67 years (F1,18 569 = 110 818.080, P < .001, η2 = .068) and across occupational settings (F1,18 569 = 61.908, P < .001, η2 = .003), noting a marked decline in female athletic trainers in the workforce beginning around age 28 years and an increase in male athletic trainers in the secondary school setting beginning around their middle to late 40s. We observed differences at the intercept between setting and sex (F1,18 569 = 63 529.344, P < .001, η2 = .845), which were greater when observed across the ages (F1,18 569 = 23 566 787.642, P < .001, η2 = .939). Conclusions: We identified differences between sexes across settings and ages in addition to an overall decrease in the workforce among all professionals. A marked decline in female athletic trainers occurred at age 28 years, yet the male population increased at the secondary school level, suggesting a setting shift. Burnout, fatigue, pay scale, and a misunderstanding of professional culture and job duties might influence the exodus or shift in athletic training.

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Appropriate Medical Care Standards for Organizations Sponsoring Athletic Activity for the Secondary School–Aged Athlete: A Summary Statement

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-544-18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (7) ◽

pp. 741-748 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Larry Cooper ◽

Ronnie Harper ◽

George S. Wham ◽

Jason Cates ◽

Scott J. Chafin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Secondary School ◽

Medical Care ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Strategic Alliance ◽

Task Force ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Education Gaps ◽

National Athletic Trainers Association ◽

Board Of Certification

Objective To present the appropriate medical care standards for organizations that sponsor athletic activities for secondary school–aged athletes. Data Sources To develop the current standards and identify current best-practices evidence, the task force used a multistep process that included reviewing the existing 2004 Appropriate Medical Care for Secondary School–Aged Athletes consensus points and cross-referencing of National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) statements and official documents from the strategic alliance (the NATA, NATA Foundation, Board of Certification, and Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education). Gaps in the recommendations from the 2004 Appropriate Medical Care for Secondary School–Aged Athletes document were identified by the task force, and the new appropriate medical care standards were developed and refined. Conclusions and Recommendations Twelve standards, with supporting substandards, were developed that encompassed readiness to participate in activity; facilities; equipment; protective materials; environmental policies; nutrition, hydration, and dietary supplementation; wellness and long-term health; comprehensive emergency action plans; on-site immediate care; on-site therapeutic interventions; psychological concerns; and athletic health care administration. Collectively, these standards describe a comprehensive approach to providing appropriate health care to secondary school–aged athletes and should serve as a framework with which organizations can evaluate and improve the medical care supplied to adolescent athletes.

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