The Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT)
Concussion Management with an Evidence-Based Online Training Tool for People of all Educational Backgrounds
Partner
Dr. S. Babul
BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU)
The Digital Lab
Type of work
Healthcare Education
technology
Overview
Concussions Knowledge is Critical for Treatment
The Digital Lab, Dr. S. Babul and the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) partnered to develop the Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT). Concussions are the most common head injury and are caused by impact to the head that moves the brain within the skull. Concussions have lasting effects on young people and require an extended recovery. Furthermore, concussions are common with 46,000 youth between 5-19 being diagnosed in 2016. This is an underestimate as over 50% of concussions are unreported due to a lack of awareness in youth, caregivers and coaches. The CATT was developed to address this knowledge gap and improve concussion identification and management.
Research & Design
Concussion Education for People of all Backgrounds
In order to ensure that concussion education was easily accessible to necessary audiences the collaborative team developed the CATT. To ensure that the content on the CATT website met the needs of key stakeholders, they were consulted during the development of the product. The CATT website contains only evidence-based information and is updated regularly to ensure that users utilize the latest information when recognizing, diagnosing and managing concussions. It is important to note that the learning materials on the site are in alignment with the Canadian Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport to ensure that head injuries are responded to in a safe manner
The CATT is an open-access website which contains educational content catered to individuals with different educational backgrounds. Specifically the CATT website boasts:
- 7 online learning modules tailored specifically to coaches, medical professionals, athletes, youth, workers, school professionals, and women’s support workers
- A library of 300+ concussion related academic papers and news articles
- Standardized evaluation tools for medical professionals to assess injuries
- Handouts and pamphlets for concussion treatment protocol and guidelines
- Videos showing action plans for concussion management and prevention
Impact
CATT has Increased Concussion Knowledge
The CATT website ensures that people of all backgrounds can learn to recognize, respond to and manage concussions. It has been well accepted with 20+ sports organizations implementing the CATT for coaches, teachers, and students to prevent concussions and improve the health of young athletes. Since launching the CATT has achieved many milestones including:
- 38,000+ coaches, educators and parents completing the learning modules
- 85% of officials who dealt with suspected concussions felt prepared
- 6000+ people used the CATT assessment tools
As the CATT continues to increase concussion education, it aims to reduce the number of unreported concussion and reduce the effects of long-term symptoms.
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