Disparities in Athletic Trainer Staffing in Secondary School Sport: Implications for Concussion Identification

Objective: First, to assess whether teams at schools with an athletic trainer (AT) on staff had a higher number of diagnosed concussions than teams without medical personnel present. Second, to assess whether the variability in employment of a certified AT by Washington state high schools is patterned by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Washington state public high schools. Participants: Stratified random sample of football and soccer coaches (n = 270 teams, 144 schools). Independent Variables: Presence of an AT and school characteristics (percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced price lunch, rural location, enrollment). Results: Football and boys' soccer teams at schools with an AT had a significantly greater number of athletes with diagnosed concussions compared to teams at schools without an AT (P

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