Evidence-based Intervention for Improved Head Impact Safety in Youth Football - Aim 1 and Aim 3

NCT ID: NCT04908930

Last Updated: 2025-02-27

Study Results

Results available

Outcome measurements, participant flow, baseline characteristics, and adverse events have been published for this study.

View full results

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

106 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-07-08

Study Completion Date

2023-11-29

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Two middle school (ages 11-14) football teams will be in Aim 1 of this study. All interested athletes on these teams will be invited to voluntarily participate in biomechanical data collection; of those enrolled, 15-20 per team will be randomly selected for instrumentation with head impact sensors. In aim 3, two youth football teams at the middle school level will be recruited to pilot an intervention developed this study. The football coaches of each team will be prospectively recruited and enrolled. All interested athletes on these teams will be enrolled; of those enrolled, 15-20 per team will be randomly selected for instrumentation with head impact sensors. Baseline and post-season neurocognitive data will be collected.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

This study hypothesizes that (a) determinants at the individual (athlete), interpersonal (team \& coach), and community levels (built \& social environment) of the social ecological model may be identified and targeted to reduce head impact exposure in youth football practices, and (b) an evidence-based strategy to reduce head impact exposure in practices may be developed and pilot tested using a community-engaged approach.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Head Injury Sport Injury

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SEQUENTIAL

All interested football players on the 2 teams will be enrolled; will be randomly selected for instrumentation with head impact sensors using a random numbers table. Athletes on these teams will follow their coach prescribed practice structure.

Two additional youth football teams at the middle school level will be recruited to pilot test the intervention developed in this study. All interested athletes on these teams will be enrolled; will be randomly selected for instrumentation with head impact sensors using a random numbers table.

Enrolled athletes will wear head impact sensors embedded in a custom mouthpiece that will be used to collect head impact exposure in conjunction with on-field video data for the season.
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Unexposed practice group- Aim 1

Data from an unexposed sample (football players practicing as they would otherwise).

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

On-field activity group - Aim 3

Athletes of two new teams at the middle school level to pilot the practice structure intervention and continuously monitor on-field activity with head impact sensors to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of the practice structure

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

On-field activity group - Aim 3

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Athletes of two new teams at the middle school level to pilot the practice structure intervention and continuously monitor on-field activity with head impact sensors to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of the practice structure

Unexposed practice group- Aim 1 Stakeholders

Stakeholders (parents, coaches, league officials) participated in guided discussions using an audit and feedback approach (sharing biomechanical data with the stakeholders) and semi-structured focus groups with the coaches and parents of the participating teams. Also, key informant interviews with league officials were used to assess the awareness and receptivity to creating a safer practice structure.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

On-field activity group - Aim 3 Stakeholders

coaches pilot tested the COACH program

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

On-field activity group - Aim 3

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Athletes of two new teams at the middle school level to pilot the practice structure intervention and continuously monitor on-field activity with head impact sensors to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of the practice structure

Unexposed Practice Group - Other Aim Stakeholders

Parent and organizational leader stakeholders (unexposed to intervention) participated in guided discussions about safety and biomechanics in youth football

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

On-field activity group - Aim 3

Athletes of two new teams at the middle school level to pilot the practice structure intervention and continuously monitor on-field activity with head impact sensors to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of the practice structure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* All athletes participating on the prospective teams will be eligible for the study, including those with braces longer than 6 months.

Exclusion Criteria

* Athletes will be excluded from participation if they have had braces less than 6 months, or have dental appliances that may impede the fit of the mouthpiece device (e.g., Herbst Appliance).
Minimum Eligible Age

11 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

14 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Jill Urban, PhD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Wake Forest Health Sciences

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Wake Forest Health Sciences

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Urban JE, Moore JB, Marks ME, Holcomb TD, Patterson R, McCoy A, Miles CM, Stitzel JD, Foley KL. Protocol for COACH, an evidence-based intervention for improved head impact safety in youth American football developed using a community-engaged approach. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2024 Sep 17;42:101371. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2024.101371. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39351080 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

Download supplemental materials such as informed consent forms, study protocols, or participant manuals.

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

K25HD101686

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

IRB00067187

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Multi-Component Breath Alcohol Intervention
NCT06124898 ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING NA
Cognitive Stimulation in Adolescents
NCT01948674 COMPLETED PHASE2