Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105327

Jingzhen (Ginger) Yang, PhD, MPH¹, J. Michael Bowling, PhD², Megan A. Lewis, PhD³, Stephen W. Marshall, PhD⁴, Carol Runyan, PhD⁵, and Frederick O. Mueller, PhD⁴. (1) Department of Community and Behavioral Health, The University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive E236 GH, Iowa City, IA 52242, 319-384-5392, jingzhen-yang@uiowa.edu, (2) Health Behavior and Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, (3) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 313 Rosenau Hall, CB #7440, School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, (4) Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 137 E. Franklin Street, CB#7505, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7505, (5) Injury Prevention Research Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7505, 137 East Franklin St, Suite 500, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7505

Objectives: To describe the use of discretionary protective equipment among high school athletes, and to examine social and behavioral determinants contributing to the influence of such use. Methods: Longitudinal data from a three-year (1996 to 1999), stratified, two-stage cluster sample of athletes from 12 organized sports in 100 North Carolina high schools (n = 19,728 athlete-seasons) were analyzed. Use of discretionary protective equipment was defined as any regular use of protective equipment not mandated by the NFHS rules. Only use of lower extremity discretionary protective equipment was included. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model discretionary protective equipment use with the social and behavioral determinants adjusting for the demographic variables. Data analysis was performed in SUDAAN. Results: About one-third of high school athletes self-reported using some items of lower extremity discretionary protective equipment. Athletes who were females, seniors, played limited-contact sports, and played multiple sports reported higher discretionary protective equipment usage. Of the four items studied, kneepads were the most frequently used, with 17.9% of athletes (95%CI=15.3, 20.5) reporting use of kneepads. Small school size (OR=1.29, 95%CI=1.13, 1.47), high proportion of team usage (OR=38.58, 95%CI=31.55, 47.19), and a history of previous injury (OR=4.40, 95%CI=3.86, 5.03) were important predictors of usage. Coaches' experience, qualifications and training (OR=0.95, 95%CI=0.81, 1.12), however, were not predictive of usage. Conclusions: Intervention efforts to promote use of discretionary protective equipment need to target school-level factors and should consider both team level requirements and the role of peers in setting and reinforcing norms.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe prevalence and patterns of high school athletes’ discretionary protective equipment usage
• 2. Discuss the relationship between the social determinants and high school athletes' use of discretionary protective equipment
• 3. Develop intervention strategies to promote discretionary protective equipment use and safe sports participation.

Keywords: Injury Prevention, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation