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Home > jLPHA > Vol. 3 (2022-2023) > No. 3 (2023)

 

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

Abstract

Introduction: Interest in pediatric sports concussions has received increased interest in the last decade, with all fifty states and the District of Columbia passing laws based on Washington State’s Lystedt Law. Although these policies have made strides in addressing pediatric concussions, they lack provisions for recreational sports. Methods: A literature review of relevant statutes for all 50 states and the District of Columbia was performed. States with existing protections and evidence-based guidelines were also examined to provide recommendations. Results: States with the policy gap either had no statutes that applied to recreational sports or statutes that lacked at least the three Lystedt components. Several states without appropriate protections had not updated their policies since first passing their laws. States with protections tended to name recreational and interscholastic sports in the same section and house that section in a title unrelated to education. Discussion: These findings suggest that policymakers can either amend existing statutes to allow more inclusive language or create a separate section that applies to recreational sports. Laws should include all three tenets of the Lystedt Law and apply to any child participating in sports. Louisiana’s policy is recommended as a model for rectifying states’ gaps. Public Health Policy Implications: Translatability of the recommendations is examined using the RE-AIM framework and counterarguments are considered. This analysis provides an update on individual states’ progress with developing protections for recreational youth athletes and provides options for policymakers seeking to rectify their gaps.

DOI

10.59020/00315

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