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ATHLETIC TRAINERS KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF TESTICULAR CANCER AND TESTICULAR CANCER PREVENTION PRACTICES

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Date Issued:
2014
Abstract/Description:
Context: Collegiate male athletes have a higher risk of testicular cancer due to their age group, an increased risk of testicular contusions, and a lack of secondary prevention education. As the athletic training profession increases emphasis on evidence-based practice, it is important for athletic trainers to understand testicular cancer and testicular-self examination as it is outlined within their scope of practice. A general understanding of testicular cancer and the prevention techniques will be important for athletic trainers to promote awareness and health behavior practices. Objective: To examine the athletic trainers actual knowledge, concern, perceived responsibility, training, feeling of embarrassment, and professional/personal practices. Design: Cross sectional survey. Participants: 249 randomly selected athletic trainers employed in collegiate settings. 65.6% of the respondents reported being between the ages of 21 and 35 years old. Intervention: Actual knowledge, concerned, perceived responsibility, trained, embarrassed, and personal and professional practice behavior scores served as dependent variables. Main Outcome Measures: A Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between participants actual knowledge, perceived responsibility, and concerned scores. Two one-way MANOVAs were conducted to determine if there was a difference in actual knowledge, perceived responsibility, and concerned scores that was dependent upon participants age and gender. Results: Athletic trainers in collegiate settings had a fairly high actual knowledge of testicular cancer (X=7.62 [plus or minus] 1.42 out of 10). Athletic trainers reported that they should be concerned about testicular cancer in male athletes (X=7.26 [plus or minus] .167 out of 10). Athletic trainers had a low feeling of responsibility suggested by their reported score (X=3.93[plus or minus] 0.18 out of 10). A weak correlation (r(169)=.199, P [less than] .009) was found between the actual knowledge and perceived responsibility scores, and between the actual knowledge and concerned scores (r(169)=.285, P [less than] .001). A medium to strong correlation (r(169)=.486, [less than] .001) was found between the concerned and perceived responsibility scores. Athletic trainers reported a decreased feeling of training about testicular cancer and testicular self-examination (X=2.28 [plus or minus] 2.10 out of 10). Also, athletic trainers reported (X=2.71 [plus or minus] 2.42 out of 10) that they were not embarrassed to discuss testicular cancer. Athletic trainers reported performing either a testicular self-exam or breast-self examination on themselves (X=76%). Conclusions: College athletic trainers have a low feeling of embarrassment, adequate knowledge, and a high feeling of concern regarding testicular cancer, but report a low feeling of perceived responsibility and training
Title: ATHLETIC TRAINERS KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF TESTICULAR CANCER AND TESTICULAR CANCER PREVENTION PRACTICES.
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Name(s): Mings, Christopher, Author
Schellhase, Kristen, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2014
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Context: Collegiate male athletes have a higher risk of testicular cancer due to their age group, an increased risk of testicular contusions, and a lack of secondary prevention education. As the athletic training profession increases emphasis on evidence-based practice, it is important for athletic trainers to understand testicular cancer and testicular-self examination as it is outlined within their scope of practice. A general understanding of testicular cancer and the prevention techniques will be important for athletic trainers to promote awareness and health behavior practices. Objective: To examine the athletic trainers actual knowledge, concern, perceived responsibility, training, feeling of embarrassment, and professional/personal practices. Design: Cross sectional survey. Participants: 249 randomly selected athletic trainers employed in collegiate settings. 65.6% of the respondents reported being between the ages of 21 and 35 years old. Intervention: Actual knowledge, concerned, perceived responsibility, trained, embarrassed, and personal and professional practice behavior scores served as dependent variables. Main Outcome Measures: A Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between participants actual knowledge, perceived responsibility, and concerned scores. Two one-way MANOVAs were conducted to determine if there was a difference in actual knowledge, perceived responsibility, and concerned scores that was dependent upon participants age and gender. Results: Athletic trainers in collegiate settings had a fairly high actual knowledge of testicular cancer (X=7.62 [plus or minus] 1.42 out of 10). Athletic trainers reported that they should be concerned about testicular cancer in male athletes (X=7.26 [plus or minus] .167 out of 10). Athletic trainers had a low feeling of responsibility suggested by their reported score (X=3.93[plus or minus] 0.18 out of 10). A weak correlation (r(169)=.199, P [less than] .009) was found between the actual knowledge and perceived responsibility scores, and between the actual knowledge and concerned scores (r(169)=.285, P [less than] .001). A medium to strong correlation (r(169)=.486, [less than] .001) was found between the concerned and perceived responsibility scores. Athletic trainers reported a decreased feeling of training about testicular cancer and testicular self-examination (X=2.28 [plus or minus] 2.10 out of 10). Also, athletic trainers reported (X=2.71 [plus or minus] 2.42 out of 10) that they were not embarrassed to discuss testicular cancer. Athletic trainers reported performing either a testicular self-exam or breast-self examination on themselves (X=76%). Conclusions: College athletic trainers have a low feeling of embarrassment, adequate knowledge, and a high feeling of concern regarding testicular cancer, but report a low feeling of perceived responsibility and training
Identifier: CFH0004564 (IID), ucf:45190 (fedora)
Note(s): 2014-05-01
B.S.
Health and Public Affairs, Dept. of Health Professions
Bachelors
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): Testicular Cancer
Testicular Self-Exam
Athletic Training
Knowledge
Concern
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004564
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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