https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4738-0410
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ABSTRACT
Objective
Concussions in adolescents are a growing public health concern as the popularity of high school sports increases. The aim of this study was to identify clinical (e.g., prior concussion, migraine history, learning disabilities/attention deficit hyperactivity disorders [ADHD]) and demographic factors (e.g., sex, race, health insurance, mechanism of injury/sport, education) that predict concussion recovery times.
Design
In a retrospective cohort study of adolescents 13–19 years old evaluated for an acute concussion (≤ 10 days from injury), recovery times were calculated from the date of concussive injury to the date of clearance to return to play or normal activities.
Results
The sample (N = 227) was primarily male (75%), and the median age was 15 years. Predictors of protracted recovery were ADHD (hazard ratio [HR] =.449, 95% confidence interval [CI] =.272-.741, p = .002) and prior concussion (HR =.574, 95% CI =.397-.828, p = .003) in all sex and race groups, while shorter recovery times were predicted by Hispanic and African American race (HR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.30–3.46, p = .003), with White females as the reference group.
Conclusions
Further research is needed to examine the role of sex, race, ADHD, and concussion history on concussion outcomes.
Acknowledgments
Markeda Wade, ELS
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest.