The Relationship between High School Coaches\u27 Beliefs about Sports Injury and Prevention Practice Readiness

Although sports and other forms of physical activities are associated with numerous health benefits, adolescent sports injury has emerged as an important public health problem. As the most immediate caregivers for athletes, coaches are expected to play an important role in preventing and reducing injuries, -considering that sports medical staff, such as athletic trainers are not always available to care for athletes. However, research on coaches\u27 beliefs and practices related to injury prevention has been limited to coaching competency issues, in which injury prevention is considered only one component. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to describe the coaches\u27 beliefs and knowledge pertaining to sports injury and their readiness for injury prevention practice to be incorporated into high school settings. The research questions are: (1) What are the coaches\u27 beliefs and knowledge related to sports injury and their readiness for injury prevention practice?; (2) What are the relationships between coaches\u27 beliefs and knowledge pertaining to sports injury and readiness for injury prevention practice?; and (3) What are the differences in coach-related factors between the coaches who have medical staff and those who do not? The participants in the study had average to low perceptions regarding injuries on their team. The knowledge score related to sports injury was not high. However, a majority of the coaches showed strong beliefs in favor of implementing injury prevention interventions as an effective way to prevent and reduce sports injuries. Supporting previous studies, the present study revealed strong associations between self-efficacy and the injury prevention behaviors assessed. It was also found that coaches who employed medical staff were approximately four times more likely to provide injury prevention programs to their athletes and have emergency plans. Findings from this study will provide a broader understanding of coaches\u27 perceptions regarding sports injury, injury prevention interventions conducted by coaches, and the implications for developing quality coaching programs and policies to prevent and reduce sports injuries

Implementation of a Community Based Public Health Buddy Program for Transportation-Disadvantaged Older Adults

Project DescriptionThe research project aimed to determine whether a community-based “buddy” program that pairs college students with transportation-disadvantaged older adults could improve mobility and quality of life for older adults in Hillsborough County, Florida. In order to assess the efficacy of the buddy program model, developed in Phase I of the project, a presurvey was issued to 62 older adults, recruited from local senior activity centers. The pre-survey sought to establish a baseline for participants' access to community transportation and health resources, prior to pairing case group participants with trained college student volunteers. Each participant from the case group was matched with a trained volunteer, who, after interviewing their older adult “buddy,” identified relevant transportation and health resources for the participant. Following program implementation, post-surveys were issued to both study groups, with 43 of the total enrolled participants completing the study.U.S. Department of Transportation 69A355174711

Improving Quality of Life for Transportation-Disadvantaged Older Adults through Community-Based Healthy Buddy Program

Project DescriptionWith a rapidly growing number of adults age 65 or above, there is a growing interest in improving their health and quality of life. Older adults often experience limited mobility due to financial constraints and health conditions. This project aims to explore if a “buddy” program that pairs public health students with older adults can improve older adults’ access to transportation and health care facilities to promote their physical and mental health. Phase I of the project, Program Development, will be conducted with the seed grant offered by the CTECH NRIF to promote quality of life for older adults over age 65.U.S. Department of Transportation 69A355174711