Formaciones vegetales subtropicales

This dissertation project involved 4 phases. The first phase took place November 2008 – April 2009 and involved personal elicitation interviews with athletes and coaches. Phase 2 (July 2009 –February 2010) involved school recruitment. The third phase of the study (September 2009-February 2010) consisted of subject recruitment and data collection. The fourth and final phase involved final data analysis and completion of the project. 3.5.1 Phase 1- Personal Elicitation Interviews

Prior to initiation of the project, institutional review board approval was obtained. In January-April 2009, the research team identified 17 high school athletes and 10 high school coaches (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill) to participate in personal interviews. The personal interviews consisted of varsity football, cheerleading, boys’/girls’ soccer, and boys’/girls’ lacrosse athletes and coaches. A script of the personal interview questions for athletes is in Appendix 5. An interview script for the coaches is in Appendix 6. The

consisted of both open and closed ended questions addressing: reporting of concussion, perceptions of coach and teammates attitudes towards reporting of concussion, reasons for not reporting concussion, and overall knowledge and attitude surrounding concussion. These interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using univariate statistics for closed ended questions and content analysis for the open-ended questions. The primary purpose of these interviews was to gather information used in the development of additional questions for the survey instruments. Specifically to develop questions aimed at assessing concepts embedded in the TRA-TpB via eliciting behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about reporting of concussion as well as relevant referent individuals and groups regarding concussion reporting. The TRA-TpB calls for this type of interview in order to develop appropriate questions. In addition the interviews were used to elicit factors that may enhance or impede athletes’ abilities to report concussion. This information is discussed descriptively and assisted in the inventory and prioritization behavioral and environmental factors in the PRECEDE planning model.

3.5.2 Phase 2 School Recruitment

In July 2009 – February 2010, the research team recruited schools from all 9 states to participate in the survey instrument portion of the study using the methods described in section 3.2. Prior to this period research approval was obtained from each school or school system used in the study. Once identified, the research team contacted (Appendix 7) the athletic director at each school to assign someone serve as the school contact (athletic director, faculty member, or athletic trainer) and to determine if the school employs the services of a certified athletic trainer on a daily basis. Permission was obtained from school administration to conduct the study and information was obtained on the procedures for each

school concerning research protocols and students and employees serving as research subjects within the school. This information was obtained by the school contact at each school and the appropriate procedures followed. Each school contact completed a research ethics training form and an incentive form as a part of the study. These school contacts were asked to complete these forms prior to receiving any possible incentive for assistance and prior to any materials being mailed to the site. A school information sheet was also

completed by the school contact to obtain information about sports, number, of athletes, and demographic information concerning the school. (Appendix 8) For schools with AT access, a separate form was completed by the AT to gain information on concussion education programs and sport coverage (Appendix 9). During this phase, the school contacts also set up a recruitment and distribution meeting date with the PI. If it was too difficult to get all athletes and coaches at a school together, the study materials were delivered to the school contact and the school contact ran the recruitment and distribution meeting at the school. Every effort was made for PI to conduct these meetings. The meeting was always conducted using a specified script in order to maintain standard instructions (Appendix 10).

3.5.3 Phase 3- Subject Recruitment and Data Collection

Data collection was conducted from September 2009 – February 2010. The PI visited each school (15 Schools) on the arranged date or the school contact held a meeting (13 Schools) to explain the study and distribute study packets using the specified script (Appendix 10). The athlete packet contained a postage paid return envelope, a manila envelope (for section 1) the survey instrument, instruction letter, parental consent, an adult consent and an adolescent assent. The instruction letter indicated which form the

same materials. The potential athlete and coach subjects were asked to review the packet information and return it at their earliest convenience using the postage paid envelope in the packet. The instruction letter was very specific, especially the athlete letter as this survey instrument contained 2 sections. The athlete letter instructed athletes to complete section 1 of the instrument first and then seal this portion. Consent forms were placed in the manila envelope provided. Athletes then completed the second section and placed this along with the sealed manila envelope in the postage paid envelope and returned directly to the PI. Coaches also completed the questionnaire (only 1 section) and placed it in the postage paid envelope and returned it directly to the PI from the subjects or delivered it to the school contact in sealed envelopes and then returned to the PI in an effort to increase return. Only

questionnaires with valid consent documents were included in the study dataset. March 24th, 2010 served as the cut-off day for receipt of questionnaires.

A member of the research team contacted the school contacts via email 3 times following the study meeting to promote increased participation and cooperation. School contacts were asked to email coaches and parents reminding them of the study to increase return both prior to and following the meeting at the school. The school contact received a $100 incentive for assistance with the study after all forms were completed and the subject recruitment/study explanation meeting was scheduled. After the data collection meeting at the school, the school’s participation in the study was complete.