Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T02:44:24.427Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New Zealand Caregiver Knowledge of Paediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2019

Dawn Willix-Payne ,
Nicola Starkey Open the ORCID record for Nicola Starkey [Opens in a new window]  and
Kelly Jones Open the ORCID record for Kelly Jones [Opens in a new window]
Dawn Willix-Payne
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Nicola Starkey*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Kelly Jones
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Psychosocial Studies, National Institute of Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author. Email: nicola.starkey@waikato.ac.nz
Get access

Abstract

Background:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common among children. However, their caregivers’ knowledge and understanding of symptoms may influence how the injury is managed.

Primary objective:

To investigate the knowledge of New Zealand (NZ) parents about TBI and concussion.

Method and procedures:

Parents (n = 205) of children aged 5–13 years completed a pen-and-paper or online survey containing questions examining their knowledge of TBI terminology, TBI symptoms and knowledge about concussion management.

Main outcomes and results:

A high proportion (61%) of parents did not think that a concussion was the same as a brain injury. Loss of consciousness (LOC) was the most endorsed symptom of TBI. However, 69% of participants were aware that TBI could occur without LOC. On average, parents correctly identified 19.5 (67.3%) of the 29 symptoms of TBI, but also identified 2.0 (11.9%) of the 17 distractor symptoms as being TBI related. Demographic factors and experience of TBI/concussion were associated with TBI symptom identification accuracy and concussion knowledge.

Conclusions:

Further education of parents is needed to ensure they recognise the signs and symptoms of concussion/mild TBI so that they can make informed decisions on how best to manage their child’s injury.

Keywords

Mild traumatic brain injuryconcussionknowledgesymptomsterminology
Type
Articles
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , March 2020 , pp. 47 - 64
Copyright
© Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (1999). The management of minor closed head injury in children. Pediatrics, 104(6), e78. doi:10.1542/peds.104.6.e78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andelic, N., Sigurdardottir, S., Brunborg, C., & Roe, C. (2008). Incidence of hospital-treated traumatic brain injury in the Oslo population. Neuroepidemiology, 30(2), 120–128. doi:10.1159/000120025.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aubrey, J. B., Dobbs, A. R., & Rule, B. G. (1989). Laypersons knowledge about the sequelae of minor head-injury and whiplash. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 52(7), 842–846. doi:10.1136/jnnp.52.7.842.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). 1220.0 – ANZSCO – Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2013, Version 1.2. Retrieved from https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/1220.0Main+Features12013,%20Version%201.2?OpenDocument.Google Scholar
Barker-Collo, S., Wilde, N. J., & Feigin, V. L. (2008). Trends in head injury incidence in New Zealand: A hospital-based study from 1997/1998 to 2003/2004. Neuroepidemiology, 32(1), 32–39. doi:10.1159/000170090.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bazarian, J. J., Veenema, T., Brayer, A. F., & Lee, E. (2001). Knowledge of concussion guidelines among practitioners caring for children. Clinical Pediatrics, 40(4), 207–212. doi:10.1177/000992280104000405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Block, C., Fabrizio, K., Bagley, B., Hannah, J., Camp, S., Mindingall, N., … Lokken, K. (2014). Assessment of veteran and caregiver knowledge about mild traumatic brain injury in a VA medical center. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 29(1), 76–88. doi:10.1097/HTR.0b013e3182886d78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bloodgood, B., Inokuchi, D., Shawver, W., Olson, K., Hoffman, R., Cohen, E., … Muthuswamy, K. (2013). Exploration of awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of traumatic brain injury among American youth athletes and their parents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 53(1), 34–39. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.01.022.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boddé, T. R. A., Scheinberg, A., & McKinlay, A. (2015). A critical examination of mild traumatic brain injury management information distributed to parents. Developmental Neuropsychology, 40(4), 254–271. doi:10.1080/87565641.2015.1034864.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boggild, M., & Tator, C. H. (2012). Concussion knowledge among medical students and neurology/neurosurgery residents. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, 39(3), 361–368. doi:10.1017/S0317167100013524.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carroll, L. J., Cassidy, J. D., Holm, L., Corondo, V. G., & WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. (2004). Methodological issues and research recommendations for mild traumatic brain injury: The WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Suppl 43, 113–125. doi: 10.1080/16501960410023877.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carroll, L. J., Cassidy, J. D., Peloso, P. M., Borg, J., von Holst, H., Holm, L., & Pepin, M. (2004). Prognosis for mild traumatic brain injury: Results of the WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 43, 84–105. doi: 10.1080/16501960410023859.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cassidy, J. D., Carroll, L. J., Peloso, P. M., Borg, J., von Holst, H., Holm, L., & Coronado, V. G. (2004). Incidence, risk factors and prevention of mild tramatic brain injury: Results of the WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Suppl 43, 28–60. doi:10.1080/16501960410023732.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chapman, R. C. G., & Hudson, J. M. (2010). Beliefs about brain injury in Britain. Brain Injury, 24(6), 797–801. doi:10.3109/02699051003709607.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coghlin, C. J., Myles, B. D., & Howitt, S. D. (2009). The ability of parents to accurately report concussion occurrence in their bantam-aged minor hockey league children. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 53(4), 233–250. Retrieved from www.chiropractic.ca/jcca-online/.Google ScholarPubMed
DeMatteo, C. A., Hanna, S. E., Mahoney, W. J., Hollenberg, R. D., Scott, L. A., Law, M. C., & Xu, L. (2010). ‘My child doesn’t have a brain injury, he only has a concussion’. Pediatrics, 125(2), 327–334. doi:10.1542/peds.2008-2720.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duff, M. C., & Stuck, S. (2015). Paediatric concussion: Knowledge and practices of school speech-language pathologists. Brain Injury, 29(1), 64–77. doi:10.3109/02699052.2014.965747.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Feigin, V. L., Theadom, A., Barker-Collo, S., Starkey, N. J., McPherson, K., Kahan, M., & BIONIC Study Group. (2013). Incidence of traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: A population-based study. Lancet Neurology, 12(1), 53–64. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(12)70262-4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd ed.). London: Sage.Google Scholar
Gordon, K. E., Dooley, J. M., Fitzpatrick, E. A., Wren, P., & Wood, E. P. (2010). Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury: Parents appreciate the nuances of nosology. Pediatric Neurology, 43(4), 253–257. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2010.05.012.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gouvier, W. D., Prestholdt, P. H., & Warner, M. S. (1988). A survey of common misconceptions about head injury and recovery. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 3(4), 331–343. doi:10.1016/0887-6177(88)90046-7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guilmette, T. J., Malia, L. A., & McQuiggan, M. D. (2007). Concussion understanding and management among New England high school football coaches. Brain Injury, 21(10), 1039–1047. doi:10.1080/02699050701633080.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guilmette, T. J., & Paglia, M. F. (2004). The public’s misconceptions about traumatic brain injury: A follow up survey. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 19(2), 183–189. doi:10.1016/S0887-6177(03)00025-8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hux, K., Schram, C. D., & Goeken, T. (2006). Misconceptions about brain injury: A survey replication study. Brain Injury, 20(5), 547–553. doi:10.1080/02699050600676784.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
King, N. S., Crawford, S., Wenden, F. J., Moss, N. E. G., & Wade, D. T. (1995). The Rivermead post concussion symptoms questionnaire: A measure of symptoms commonly experienced after head injury and its reliability. Journal of Neurology, 242, 587–592. doi:10.1007/BF00868811.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kraus, J. F. (1995). Epidemiological features of brain injury in children: Occurrence, children at risk, causes and manner of injury, severity, and outcomes. In Broman, S. H. & Michel, M. E. (Eds.), Traumatic head injury in children (pp. 22–39). New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Lees-Haley, P. R., & Dunn, J. T. (1994). The ability of naive subjects to report symptoms of mild brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 50(2), 252–256. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1097-4679/issues.3.0.CO;2-T>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mackenzie, J. A., & McMillan, T. M. (2005). Knowledge of post-concussional syndrome in naive lay-people, general practitioners and people with minor traumatic brain injury. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44, 417–424. doi:10.1348/014466505x35696.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maddison, R., Pfaeffli Dale, L., Marsh, S., LeBlanc, A., & Oliver, M. (2014). The New Zealand physical activity report card for children and youth. Retrieved from http://nihi.auckland.ac.nz/sites/nihi.auckland.ac.nz/files/NZ%20PA%20report%20card_Long%20version%20PDF.pdf.Google Scholar
Mannings, C., Kalynych, C., Joseph, M. M., Smotherman, C., & Kraemer, D. F. (2014). Knowledge assessment of sports-related concussion among parents of children aged 5 years to 15 years enrolled in recreational tackle football. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 77, S18–S22. doi:10.1097/ta.0000000000000371.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCrea, M., Hammeke, T., Olsen, G., Leo, P., & Guskiewicz, K. (2004). Unreported concussion in high school football players – Implications for prevention. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 14(1), 13–17. doi:10.1097/00042752-200401000-00003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCrory, P., Meeuwisse, W., Johnston, K., Dvorak, J., Aubry, M., Molloy, M., & Cantu, R. (2009). Consensus statement on concussion in sport: The 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(Suppl 1), i76–i84. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2009.058248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKinlay, A., Bishop, A., & McLellan, T. (2011). Public knowledge of ‘concussion’ and the different terminology used to communicate about mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Brain Injury, 25(7–8), 761–766. doi:10.3109/02699052.2011.579935.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKinlay, A., Grace, R. C., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., & MacFarlane, M. R. (2009). Adolescent psychiatric symptoms following preschool childhood mild traumatic brain injury: Evidence from a birth cohort. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 24(3), 221–227. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/headtraumarehab/pages/default.aspx.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McKinlay, A., Grace, R. C., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., & MacFarlane, M. R. (2010). Long-term behavioural outcomes of pre-school mild traumatic brain injury. Child Care Health and Development, 36(1), 22–30. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00947.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McKinlay, A., Grace, R. C., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., Ridder, E. M., & MacFarlane, M. R. (2008). Prevalence of traumatic brain injury among children, adolescents and young adults: Prospective evidence from a birth cohort. Brain Injury, 22(2), 175–181. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00902.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Merz, Z. C., Van Patten, R., & Lace, J. (2017). Current public knowledge pertaining to traumatic brain injury: Influence of demographic factors, social trends, and sport concussion experience on the understanding of traumatic brain injury sequelae. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 32(2), 155–167. doi:10.1093/arclin/acw092.Google ScholarPubMed
Moser, R. S., Iverson, G. L., Echemendia, R. J., Lovell, M. R., Schatz, P., Webbe, F. M., & Policy, NAN and Committee, Planning. (2007). Neuropsychological evaluation in the diagnosis and management of sports-related concussion. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 22(8), 909–916. doi:10.1016/j.acn.2007.09.004.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mulhern, S., & McMillan, T. M. (2006). Knowledge and expectation of postconcussion symptoms in the general population. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 61(4), 439–445. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2006.03.004.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pavuluri, M. N., Luk, S.-L., & McGee, R. O. B. (1996). Help-seeking for behavior problems by parents of preschool children: A community study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(2), 215–222. doi:10.1097/00004583-199602000-00015.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Raugust, J., & Latter, J. E. (2013). The influence of diagnostic terminology on parent’s perception of severity following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury or concussion. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 5(9), S129. doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2013.08.003.Google Scholar
Ruff, R. M., Iverson, G. L., Barth, J. T., Bush, S. S., Broshek, D. K., & NAN Policy and Planning Committee. (2009). Recommendations for diagnosing a mild traumatic brain injury: A national academy of neuropsychology education paper. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 24(1), 3–10. doi:10.1093/arclin/acp006.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sciutto, M. J. (2015). ADHD knowledge, misconceptions, and treatment acceptability. Journal of Attention Disorders, 19(2), 91–98. doi:10.1177/1087054713493316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Starkey, N. J., Jones, K., Case, R., Theadom, A., Barker-Collo, S., & Feigin, V. (2018). Post-concussive symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury during childhood and adolescence. Brain Injury, 32(5), 617–626. doi:10.1080/02699052.2018.1439533.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistics New Zealand. (2014). 2013 census quickstats about culture and identity. Wellington: Statistics New Zealand.Google Scholar
Stevens, P. K., Penprase, B., Kepros, J. P., & Dunneback, J. (2010). Parental recognition of postconcussive symptoms in children. Journal of Trauma Nursing, 17(4), 178–182. doi:10.1097/JTN.0b013e3181ff2789.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sullivan, K., Edmed, S. L., & Kempe, C. (2014). The effect of injury diagnosis on illness perceptions and expected postconcussion syndrome and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 29(1), 54. doi:10.1097/HTR.0b013e31828c708a.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sullivan, S. J., Bourne, L., Choie, S., Eastwood, B., Isbister, S., McCrory, P., & Gray, A. (2009). Understanding of sport concussion by the parents of young rugby players: A pilot study. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 19(3), 228–230. doi:10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181a41e43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Theadom, A., Barker-Collo, S., Feigin, V. L., Starkey, N. J., Jones, K., Jones, A., & Barber, P. A. (2012). The spectrum captured: A methodological approach to studying incidence and outcomes of traumatic brain injury on a population level. Neuroepidemiology, 38(1), 18–29. doi:10.1159/000334746.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Valovich McLeod, T. C., Schwartz, C., & Bay, R. C. (2007). Sport-related concussion misunderstandings among youth coaches. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 17(2), 140–142. doi:10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181a41e43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weber, M., & Edwards, M. G. (2010). The effect of brain injury terminology on university athletes’ expected outcome from injury, familiarity and actual symptom report. Brain Injury, 24(11), 1364–1371. doi:10.3109/02699052.2010.507110.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
White, P. E., Newton, J. D., Makdissi, M., Sullivan, S. J., Davis, G., McCrory, P., & Finch, C. F. (2014). Knowledge about sports-related concussion: Is the message getting through to coaches and trainers? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(2), 119–127. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2013-092785.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Willer, B., Johnson, W. E., Rempel, R. G., & Linn, R. (1993). A note concerning misconceptions of the general public about brain injury. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 8(5), 461–465. doi:10.1016/0887-6177(93)90009-P.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Willer, B., & Leddy, J. J. (2006). Management of concussion and post-concussion syndrome. Current Treatment Options in Neurology, 8(5), 415–426. doi:10.1007/s11940-006-0031-9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zemek, R., Eady, K., Moreau, K., Farion, K. J., Solomon, B., Weiser, M., & Dematteo, C. (2014). Knowledge of paediatric concussion among front-line primary care providers. Paediatrics & Child Health, 19(9), 474–479. doi:10.1093/pch/19.9.475.Google ScholarPubMed