An online national survey of 2,012 adult Americans (of whom 948 were parents) has found that, while the vast majority (87%) don’t know the definition of a concussion and many don’t know the injury is treatable, there is a high level of concern and even fear across the country.
- 89% believe concussions are a moderate to severe health concern
- 32% of parents live in fear that their child will get a concussion
- 25% of parents do not let their kids play some contact sports because of fear of concussion
- while 57% have personal experience with concussions, 26% did not see a health care professional when someone in their family had one
- 37% admit that they are confused about what a concussion truly is
- headaches, and dizziness/motion sensitivity are recognized as symptoms by 58%, and cognitive difficulty by 55%
- only 34% recognize fatigue as a symptom, and only 13% recognize changes in mood as a symptom
- 79% incorrectly believe or are unsure that there is no real way to cure a concussion; the symptoms can only be lessened
- 81% aren’t comfortable that they would know how to manage or treat a concussion if they sustained one
- only 49% know that a person doesn't need to stay awake for 24 hours after sustaining a concussion
- only 25% understand that safety equipment—such as helmets or mouth guards—cannot prevent the majority of all concussions
http://www.futurity.org/concussions-fear-survey-1018432-2/
The full report can be downloaded at http://rethinkconcussions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/harris-poll-report.pdf