We analyzed descriptive statistics for individual states, NATA districts, and nationwide data and reported these as means. 1, 18 Although secondary school–aged student-athletes benefit from some medical care from ATs, full-time services in this setting remain deficient, 16, 17 particularly compared with the collegiate setting. These recommendations call for all secondary schools to provide a full-time, on-site AT for student-athletes. 1, 15 The presence of ATs in secondary schools is on the rise, as indicated by 2 recent studies investigating AT services in the secondary school setting, 16, 17 but the services provided do not meet the recommendations of the AMA and NATA. 14 Despite the recommendations of the AMA and NATA 1– 4, 12, 13 and the documented benefits of having an AT on site, many secondary schools do not provide AT services. On the basis of the AT's skill set, the organizations' recommendations also speak to the data suggesting that schools with an AT present have overall lower injury rates than those schools without an AT. 1– 4, 12, 13Īs injuries and deaths continue to occur in the secondary school setting, organizations such as the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) continue to endorse and support the hiring of ATs to prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths related to sport participation and physical activity. 8, 9 Providing adequate medical care at the secondary school setting helps to mitigate the risk for long-term injury complications and sudden death in athletes. 9 Both student-athletes lost their lives because of a lack of prevention strategies and inappropriate treatment of exertional heat stroke.
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9 Gilpin collapsed after a series of “gassers” at football practice when the ambient temperature and heat index were 94°, 8 and Searcy collapsed during a 3-a-day practice schedule during football camp. The absence of an AT has often been reported in cases of death resulting from athletic participation, 8– 11 as noted in high-profile cases such as those of high school football student-athletes Max Gilpin from Kentucky 8 and D.J. 5 In addition, the high volume of injuries 6 and increase in sudden deaths in this setting, 4, 7 particularly in comparison with the collegiate setting, have drawn attention to the presence of ATs in secondary schools.
5 As of 2013–2014, the number of student-athletes was approximately 7.8 million, having risen for the 25th consecutive year. 1– 4 The foundation for this conversation is, in part, the rise in athletic participation. The importance of having an athletic trainer (AT) on site to provide medical care to student-athletes at the secondary school level has been a topic of discussion for many years. Barriers to hiring ATs were comparable between public and private secondary schools however, remote location was a unique challenge for the public sector. Despite differences in AT services, both settings provided a similar number of student-athletes with access to medical care. Unique to the public sector, remote location was identified as a challenge faced by some administrators.Ĭonclusions: Both public and private secondary schools lacked ATs, but higher percentages of total AT services and full-time services were available in the public sector. Common barriers were budget, school size, and lack of awareness of the role of an AT. Regardless of the extent of services, reasons for not employing an AT were similar between sectors. Only per diem AT services were more frequent in the private sector. Public secondary schools provided a higher percentage of full-time, part-time, and clinic AT services than private secondary schools. Results: A greater percentage of public secondary schools than private secondary schools hired ATs.
Open-ended questions were evaluated through content analysis. Descriptive statistics depict national data. Main Outcome Measure(s): School administrators responded to the survey via telephone or e-mail. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 10 553 secondary schools responded to the survey (8509 public, 2044 private). Setting: Public and private secondary schools in the United States. Objective: To compare the level of AT services in public and private secondary schools. Previous authors have investigated the level of AT services offered, but the differences in medical care offered between the public and private sectors have not been explored. Context: The presence of athletic trainers (ATs) in secondary schools to provide medical care is crucial, especially with the rise in sports participation and resulting high volume of injuries.