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Knowledge, Barriers, and Referral Patterns Among Rehabilitation Staff in Concussion Care: A Single-Institution Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: Concussion is a common form of traumatic brain injury resulting from an external force to the head.Understanding this condition among rehabilitation professionals is crucial for prompt recognition, early diagnosis, appropriate referrals, and effective management plans.Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study investigated 107 rehabilitation healthcare staff to assess knowledge regarding concussion, barriers, and referral patterns at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Saudi Arabia.Data were collected through online surveys, cleaned and coded, and analyzed using SPSS version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) to generate meaningful findings.Results: The study found that 60 participants (56.1%) had a high level of knowledge about concussion, whereas 47 (43.9%) had a low level of knowledge.Statistically significant associations were observed between knowledge level and age (P = 0.048) and current professional role (P < 0.001).Multivariable analysis showed that, compared with nurses, working as a physiatrist was the strongest predictor of high concussion knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 57.99;95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.245-464.166;P < 0.001).Furthermore, compared with participants with 1-3 years of experience in their current field, those with more than 10 years of experience had significantly higher odds of demonstrating a high level of concussion knowledge (AOR = 24.65;95% CI = 2.286-265.805;P = 0.008).Conclusions: The study found that just over half of the rehabilitation healthcare staff met the predefined threshold for high knowledge regarding concussion, but their confidence in the assessment and management of the condition was limited.Training as a physiatrist was a significant positive predictor of high knowledge.This highlights the need for educational enhancement through training programs to increase knowledge and awareness of concussion among rehabilitation staff.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.118065