This study interviewed amateur athletes from the University of Lincoln Rugby Union Society to discuss their knowledge of concussion within the community level. The primary aim of the study was to document their understanding and education surrounding concussion and the subsequent awareness of health consequences. Furthermore, players attitudes and return-to-play (RTP) procedures were examined to identify if players were safe within their concussion treatment and management. Five participants were secured through a snowball sampling effect and interviewed on campus, with semi-structed interviews being the chosen research method. Verbatim transcriptions were generated for each interview with identification of general dimensions and high-order themes using a inductive thematic analysis approach. Four general dimensions were identified including: Risks of the Sport; Identification of Stigma; Failure of Administrative Organisations and Weaknesses within Education Awareness. These were further categorised into high-order themes that conveyed similar ideas and were clustered to the associated general dimension. Findings revealed athletes had limited awareness of possible long-term health ramifications and most were unsafe in their knowledge of concussion management and return-to-play procedures. What became evident was the normalisation of peer-pressure within this masculine environment and the hindrance this causes on athletes’ safety. This stigmatisation within Rugby Union was also apparent within the normalisation of trivialising concussions severity. Overall, 80% of participants were uneducated in the correct protocols and wished further acknowledgement was made towards the amateur standard of play, in order to better protect and educate athletes concerning the severity of injuries this sporting environment provides.
Interview transcripts have been removed to comply with GDPR policy.
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