Canadians know little about dangers of concussions, survey suggests

OTTAWA (CP) — Roughly half of Canadians know little to nothing about the perils of sports-related concussive injuries, nor where to turn to find information on how to avoid falling victim to them, suggests a newly released federal survey.

The online survey, commissioned by the Public Health Agency of Canada to gauge the country’s grasp and awareness of the concussion issue, found that while 97 per cent of respondents consider it an important health problem, only 51 per cent said they knew where to get information on avoiding one.

Forty-six per cent of respondents reported knowing what to do when someone gets a concussion, while 40 per cent said they can recognize the symptoms.

About half of those who took part in the survey reported having little or no knowledge about concussions, although most knew the condition as “a blow to the head that causes a variety of symptoms, such as headache or blurred vision.”

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor has been mandated to work with the minister of sport and persons with disabilities to implement a pan-Canadian concussion strategy and raise awareness for parents, coaches, and athletes on concussion treatment.

The survey, conducted last winter by market research firm Kantar TNS, gathered responses from 1,895 Canadians aged 18 and older, as well as 391 health care providers.