ERIC Number: EJ1165034
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1947-380X
EISSN: N/A
Athletic Trainers' Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Exertional Heat Stroke before and after an Educational Intervention
Schellhase, Kristen Couper; Plant, Jennifer; Mazerolle, Stephanie M.
Athletic Training Education Journal, v12 n3 p179-187 Jul-Sep 2017
Context: Death from exertional heat stroke (EHS) is preventable when evidence-based guidelines are followed. The assessment of core body temperature using rectal thermometry and the treatment of cold-water immersion for EHS has been established as the standard of care; however, rectal thermometry is still controversial. Athletic trainers (ATs) may lack knowledge and comfort with this skill, which could impact implementation. Objective: Examine ATs' current practices, attitudes, and perceptions regarding EHS before and after an educational intervention. Design: Prequantitative/postquantitative experimental. Setting: Classroom. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-five ATs in various athletic training settings. Intervention(s): Educational intervention designed to increase knowledge and address negative attitudes and perceptions regarding EHS evaluation and treatment. Main Outcome Measure(s): Attitude and perception scores. Results: Prior to the educational intervention, most ATs (86.9%, 20/23) reported that they use methods other than rectal thermometry to evaluate EHS. Of those who did not use rectal thermometry, their reasons included: lack of equipment/budget, concerns about liability/lack of consent (especially when dealing with minors), lack of training, and/or concerns about the privacy, embarrassment, compliance of the athlete. Cold-water immersion was chosen as the definitive method of cooling an athlete by only 41.7% (n = 10) of participants. Following the educational intervention, attitudes toward the use of rectal temperature to assess core body temperature (t[24] = 8.663, P < 0.001) and cold-water immersion treatment for EHS (t[24] = 4.187, P < 0.001) were significantly improved. However, while attitudes toward the use of other "cold" methods to treat EHS were not significantly changed (t[24] = 1.684, P = 0.105), perceptions regarding nonexertional influences on EHS were significantly improved (t[24] = 1.684, P = 0.105). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a 3-hour educational intervention can improve attitudes and perceptions regarding the assessment and treatment of EHS in the short term. It is important that educational interventions use best-practice continuing education methods and include special attention to the barriers to evidence-based practice.
Descriptors: Trainers, Risk Management, Guidelines, Human Body, Athletes, Knowledge Level, Pretests Posttests, Statistical Analysis, Intervention, Attitude Change, Evaluation, Scores, Attitude Measures, Program Effectiveness, Barriers, Equipment, Privacy, Professional Development, Continuing Education, Questionnaires
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A