Abstract
Background
Graduate healthcare students may have athletic backgrounds with history of concussion. Since these students spend much time multi-tasking while guarding, transferring, and treating patients in clinical settings, understanding the potential impact of external factors on dual-task abilities may help better equip them for success.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between concussion history, concussion education, and athletic history on academic performance and different single- and dual-task assessments among graduate healthcare students.
Study Design
A cross-sectional, repeated measures study.
Methods
A convenience sample of 33 graduate healthcare students, between the ages of 21-31 years old, were recruited from a health sciences institution. Inclusion criteria included enrollment at the institution and being between the ages of 18 and 35 years old. Exclusion criteria included a concussion within the past 30 days, current post-concussion symptoms, an upper and/or lower extremity injury, and/or pregnancy. Investigators collected subjective sport, concussion, and academic history before data collection. Then, participants were randomly assigned to perform single- and dual-task cognitive and walking activities. Parameters of gait and cognitive activity scores were measured to calculate dual-task cost (DTC). Next, principle component analyses were conducted to incorporate all measured variables into a single model for linear regression. Linear regressions were used to model the relationships between sport and concussion history and each component.
Results
Data were collected for 32 participants (aged 25 ± 2.46 years). A lack of concussion history was a significant predictor for experiencing greater DTC for performing a memory/recall task while walking backward. Additionally, lacking formal concussion education was a significant predictor for a higher DTC associated with the visuospatial task while walking backward. Finally, a longer history of athletic play predicted a lower undergraduate GPA.
Conclusions
Lacking concussion history and education as well as having a longer athletic history significantly predicted aspects of DTC and academic achievement in graduate healthcare students. These data may influence future decision-making criteria and processes when supporting and guiding students with athletic backgrounds through healthcare education programs involving psychomotor activities. Further studies with a larger sample and control for plausible confounding variables may provide additional insight.
Level of Evidence
2b