Date of Award

Spring 2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Exercise Science

Director of Thesis

Dr. Robert Davis Moore

First Reader

Jacob Kay

Second Reader

Jacob Kay

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to assess the role of socioeconomic factors in concussion recovery in a pediatric population. We sought to use a composite index (including maternal education, paternal education, household income) and individual factors of maternal education, paternal education, and household income as socioeconomic measures that could be significant components in recovery. We hypothesized that those with lower socioeconomic standing (composite or individual factor) would have greater deficits as evidenced by clinical symptoms, mood disturbances, and cognitive function. 45 subjects who presented to a local concussion clinic are included in this study. For each subject, clinical symptoms, mental health, and cognitive function were evaluated at evaluation 1 ( ̴ 2 weeks post-injury) and evaluation 2 ( ̴ 5 weeks post-injury). Subjects were grouped according to a composite index, maternal education, paternal education, and household income and analyzed in a repeated measures analysis of variance design. Differences in paternal education and income led to group differences in cognition during recovery on computerized neurocognitive testing (p < .05). Maternal education and composite index scores did not show significance in detecting group differences in recovery in relation to SES and concussion. SES factors do not appear to provide significant utility in examining concussion recovery outside of the cognitive domain. This study suggests that paternal education and family income may provide some limited clinical utility in informing clinicians treating concussion in a pediatric population.

First Page

1

Last Page

35

Rights

© 2019, Chandler Melton

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