Researchers and others are questioning how much CDC's Heads Up awareness and education platform has helped address concussions in youth and high school sports, and 乌鸦传媒 found one potential reason for its ineffectiveness may be the agency's reluctance to critically examine -- even as independent researchers have published evidence showing flaws.
The interactive timeline graphic below outlines key points in the program's history and illustrates the web of relationships between the CDC and other organizations, some of which helped develop or promote Heads Up materials and also evaluated their effectiveness.
Since launching Heads Up in 2003, officials have partnered with organizations to co-evaluate its programs and produce. Researchers from at least one -- the now-defunct research firm Academy for Educational Development (AED) -- have performed both duties, conducting CDC-funded research on Heads Up's effectiveness before and after developing a 2010 Heads Up coaches guide. Others have also been repeat Heads Up collaborators, including the NFL, a co-supporter of the beleaguered Heads Up Football.
Relationships like these raise the question of whether CDC can objectively judge whether Heads Up is meeting its goals or how it can be improved. As 乌鸦传媒 previously reported, the CDC-supported Heads Up assessments have yielded more positive conclusions about the platform's effectiveness than the independent assessments.
"We'd love to see broader evaluations," Heads Up's director, , told 乌鸦传媒, echoing the researchers who spoke to 乌鸦传媒. "We have had CDC authors doing evaluations as part of our ongoing evaluations. Overall, it's an area that needs to grow."
Sarmiento publicly distanced Heads Up from the NFL-sponsored namesake and played down the influence of other partnerships -- including a particularly substantial one with the national YMCA.
The interactive timeline includes journal publications, presentations and new resources. It notes the parties that helped develop these products, including the NFL, YMCA and the former AED employees -- who joined firms (FHI 360) and after AED folded in 2011.
Beginning with Heads Up's launch in 2003, each entry includes the event (capital letters), contributors, and their affiliations (logos and text). We included links too, where available.
Note: 乌鸦传媒 could not ascertain the exact month for each timeline entry.
Staff Writer Kristina Fiore contributed to this report.
See these previous reports in 乌鸦传媒's investigation of Heads Up:
Has CDC Concussion Awareness Program Flopped?