Sports Medicine
Marcus S. Bonoan, MD
Resident Physician
Montefiore Medical Center
Astoria, New York, United States
Yolanda N. Pham, MD, MPH
Resident Physician
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States
Eugene Palatulan, MD
Assistant Professor
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States
Giorgina Giampaolo, MD
Resident Physician
Montefiore Medical Center
Bronx, New York, United States
Myrna Hanna, DO
Resident Physician
Montefiore Medical Center
New Hyde Park, New York, United States
marcus S. Bonoan, MD
Montefiore Medical Center
Astoria, New York, United States
The objective of this study is to identify disparities in access to sideline coverage at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels across the country, while identifying socioeconomic factors associated with these disparities.
Design:
We conducted a comprehensive literature review to examine access to sports sideline coverage in high school and collegiate sports. Searches were performed using scientific databases, such as PubMed and Google Scholar, utilizing the following key terms: youth sports sideline coverage, high school sports sideline coverage, collegiate sports sideline coverage, and disparities in access to sideline coverage.
Results:
Only 66% of secondary schools in the US employed an athletic trainer (AT). Multiple studies showed that schools with a higher percentage of students qualifying for free lunches, located in lower income ZIP codes, and with a higher percentage of Black and Hispanic students were less likely to have an AT. The median athlete-to-clinician ratio across NCAA schools is 100:1. D1 programs had lower athlete-to-clinician ratios and more frequent medical evaluations than D2 and D3 programs. Increased access to sports medicine care can improve the safety of youth, high school, and collegiate athletics by promoting earlier diagnosis and triage of sports-related injuries. Sports programs have different levels of access depending on the community’s socioeconomic status and program’s financial resources. Further research is required to identify the effect of these disparities on reinjury rates and to provide potential solutions to improve access to care.
ZIP codes with an AT had more EMS activations for sports-related injuries than ZIP codes without an AT (incidence rate ratio = 1.416.) College sports clinicians with higher patient loads diagnosed injuries at a 40% lower rate than those with lower patient loads. Schools with an AT had significantly more diagnosed concussions than schools without an AT (P< 0.05.)
Conclusions:
