Exertional Heat Illness Among Secondary School Athletes

Exertional heat illness (EHI) is a leading cause of preventable death among student athletes. While causes and preventative measures for EHI are known, school districts may not be implementing evidence-based practices. This descriptive, exploratory study explored school policies, resources, and practices of coaches in a mid-Atlantic state in the prevention and identification of EHI; 397 responded. Ninety-three percent knew of EHI, but only 52% scheduled acclimatization. Coaches reporting a heat emergency plan (56%) were significantly more likely to follow other evidence-based recommendations: altering equipment (p < .0001, odds ratio [OR] = 2.53), monitoring environment (p < .0001, OR = 2.56), providing acclimatization (p < .0001, OR = 2.50), having athletic trainers at practices (p < .0001, OR = 4.75), and believed that they could handle the emergency until EMS arrival (p < .001, OR = 2.48). School districts should comply with evidence-based guidelines. School nurses play a key role in education, developing emergency plans and training coaches in first aid.

[1]  Stephanie M. Mazerolle,et al.  Current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of certified athletic trainers regarding recognition and treatment of exertional heat stroke. , 2010, Journal of athletic training.

[2]  V M Krishna Bhaskarabhatla,et al.  Sports Medicine Handbook , 1999, BMJ.

[3]  W. Höfler.  [Heat acclimatization]. , 1968, Hippokrates.

[4]  W. Roberts,et al.  Heat Injury Prevention Practices in High School Football , 2007, Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine.

[5]  J. Smith,et al.  Cooling methods used in the treatment of exertional heat illness , 2005, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[6]  Richard G Roetzheim,et al.  Heat Illness Symptom Index (HISI): A Novel Instrument for the Assessment of Heat Illness in Athletes , 2006, Southern medical journal.

[7]  A. Miners.  The diagnosis and emergency care of heat related illness and sunburn in athletes: A retrospective case series. , 2010, The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association.

[8]  M. Bergeron.  Youth Sports in the Heat , 2009, Sports medicine.

[9]  Douglas J Casa,et al.  American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exertional heat illness during training and competition. , 2007, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[10]  M. Cleary,et al.  Predisposing risk factors on susceptibility to exertional heat illness: clinical decision-making considerations. , 2007, Journal of sport rehabilitation.

[11]  B. Boden,et al.  Heat-Related Illness in Athletes , 2007, The American journal of sports medicine.

[12]  S. Marshall.  Heat injury in youth sport , 2009, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[13]  F. O’Connor,et al.  Preseason heat-acclimatization guidelines for secondary school athletics. , 2009, Journal of athletic training.

[14]  C. Collins,et al.  Heat illness among high school athletes--United States, 2005-2009. , 2010, Journal of safety research.

[15]  Daniel S. Moran,et al.  Exertional heat illness during training and competition , 2007 .

[16]  Stephanie M. Mazerolle,et al.  Exertional heat stroke and emergency issues in high school sport. , 2010, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[17]  G. Kenny,et al.  Exertional Heat Stroke: New Concepts Regarding Cause and Care , 2012, Current sports medicine reports.

[18]  S. Marshall,et al.  Epidemiology of exertional heat illness among U.S. high school athletes. , 2013, American journal of preventive medicine.

[19]  C. Devore,et al.  Climatic Heat Stress and Exercising Children and Adolescents , 2011, Pediatrics.