Concussions in high school athletes may be a risk factor for suicide
Concussion, the most common form of traumatic brain injury, has been linked to an increased risk of depression and suicide in adults. Now new research suggests high school students with a history of sports-related concussions might be at an increased risk for suicide completion.
In 2018, Ontario enacted Rowan's Law (Concussion Safety). It is now mandatory for sports organizations to:
ensure that athletes under 26 years of age, parents of athletes under 18, coaches, team trainers and officials confirm every year that they have reviewed Ontario’s Concussion Awareness Resources
establish a Concussion Code of Conduct that sets out rules of behaviour to support concussion prevention
establish a Removal-from-Sport and Return-to-Sport protocol
Do you think Ontario has struck a healthy balance between addressing the risks associated with concussions and encouraging youth participation in sports?
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/r.../11/191125145546.htm
Thanks for sharing Simon...I've been following this work for a while (It's a personal interest). Of relevance, a 2019 study in the American Journal of Health Behavior showed that among adolescents, having sustained a concussion was also associated with higher odds of self-harm, symptoms of depression, injury from and attempted suicide. Increased odds ranged from 1.5 to 3 times, when other variables (age, sex, ethnicity, academic performance) were held constant.
I personally endorse Rowan's Law and know that national sport organizations are working together to harmonize concussion protocols. This should make the application of policies and procedures easier for folks. To read more about the concussion protocol harmonization project, check out this link: https://parachute.ca/en/profes...rmonization-project/
If you are involved with any organizations that provide youth (or adult), sport and recreation programming, you can use the tools below to establish your own protocol. It is also important that health professionals be aware of the protocols so that they can support athletes (in development, recreational, elite) in their recovery and return to play.
Concussion resources for schools
Concussion protocol resources for sport organizations
Concussion protocol resources for health professionals