Medical College of Wisconsin
CTSICores SearchResearch InformaticsREDCap

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Concussion History, Years of American Football Participation, and Alcohol Use Among Former National Football League Players: an NFL-LONG Study. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2024 Feb 19;39(2):221-226

Date

08/23/2023

Pubmed ID

37609946

Pubmed Central ID

PMC10879921

DOI

10.1093/arclin/acad059

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85185723960 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the relationships between concussion history and years of football participation (repetitive head impact proxy) with alcohol use across multiple decades in former professional football players.

METHODS: Participants (n = 348; mean age = 49.0 ± 9.4) completed health questionnaires in 2001 and 2019, which included self-reported concussion history and years of participation. Alcohol use frequency and amount per occasion were reported for three timepoints: during professional career, 2001, and 2019. Ordinal logistic regression models were fit to test associations of concussion history and years of participation with alcohol use at each timepoint.

RESULTS: There were no significant associations between either concussion history or years of football participation with alcohol use (frequency and amount per occasion) at any timepoint. Effect estimates for concussion history and years of football participation with alcohol use were generally comparable across timepoints.

CONCLUSIONS: Later life alcohol use by former American football players is not associated with concussion history or years of exposure to football.

Author List

Lang B, Kerr ZY, Chandran A, Walton SR, Mannix R, Lempke LB, DeFreese JD, Echemendia RJ, Guskiewicz KM, Meehan Iii WP, McCrea MA, Brett BL

Authors

Benjamin Brett PhD Assistant Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael McCrea PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Brain Concussion
Football
Humans
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Surveys and Questionnaires