Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42890368›Full record

ArticleJSAMS plus2026

Predictors of concussion management pathway adherence in New Zealand community rugby: A prospective cohort study.

Danielle M Salmon, Janelle Romanchuk, Marelise Badenhorst, Anja Zoellner, James Brown, Zachary Yukio Kerr, Chris Whatman, Johna Register-Mihalik, Gisela Sole, Simon Walters

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in JSAMS plus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Danielle M SalmonNew Zealand Rugby, PO Box 2172, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
Janelle RomanchukNew Zealand Rugby, PO Box 2172, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
Marelise BadenhorstNew Zealand Rugby, PO Box 2172, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
Anja ZoellnerNew Zealand Rugby, PO Box 2172, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
James BrownCarnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK.
Zachary Yukio KerrMatthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
Chris WhatmanSport Research Institute New Zealand, School of Sport, Exercise and Health, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Johna Register-MihalikMatthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
Gisela SoleCentre of Health, Activity, Rehabilitation Research, School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
Simon WaltersSport Research Institute New Zealand, School of Sport, Exercise and Health, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: There is a need for improved operationalisation of concussion guidelines in community sport. The inclusion of technology may offer a viable solution. This study aimed to evaluate if adherence to a concussion management pathway (CMP) facilitated through the use of technology, improved compliance to concussion guidelines. Methods: This prospective observational study (2020-2022) included 5879 players across four unions in NZ. Healthcare touchpoints, demographics, baseline completion, physiotherapist support, and adherence to stand-down periods (SDP) were captured. Generalised linear mixed models examined factors associated with ideal pathway adherence (logged suspected concussion (SC) → system GP diagnosis → system GP medical clearance) and appropriate SDP. Results: Across three seasons, 639 SC occurred (n = 550 males, n = 89 females), of which 631 were logged. Of these logged SCs, 82.6% were medically confirmed. The overall SC rate was 16.6 per 1000 match hours. Approximately half (49.9%) adhered to the pathway. The strongest predictor of pathway adherence was completion of a pre-season baseline (OR = 1.90). Physiotherapist support was not significant, but was strongly associated with adherence in one union (OR = 6.15). Pasifika/Other players had lower odds of pathway adherence than NZ European (OR = 0.60). Pathway followers were more likely to adhere to the SDP (79.3% v 45.6%) and RTP that season (85.0% v 57.8%). Conclusion: Adherence to the pathway was associated with greater compliance to the recommended SDP and increased likelihood of RTP that season. Pre-season baseline was the most consistent predictor of pathway adherence. Integrating digital systems, pre-season assessment and clinical support may strengthen implementation of community concussion guidelines.

Indexed as

CommunityConcussionHealthcareInjuryRugby

Identifiers

PMID42890368
PMCPMC13672860

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.