American Football And CTE

American Football & CTE

What is your research topic? Mixed methods design Mixing procedures that you will use (e.g., use qualitative data to explain initial quantitative results or compare and contrast qualitative results with the quantitative results) Primary benefit of a mixed methods approach? Based on your mixed methods design, will you list your quantitative or qualitative questions first? Explain. Write a mixed methods research question that conveys the content goal of the study: Write a mixed methods research question that conveys the procedures for mixing within the study.

American football has been attractive to many people in America. A significant proportion of the American people have been found to engage in the game in one way or another. The largest proportion is the fan base. The attractiveness of the game makes the players engage in more serious action to entertain their fans. The action leads to some injuries on the players, and they end up being treated from time to time (Daly, 2013). Cumulative injuries on the head have been associated with an increased possibility of contracting brain damage and other conditions such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which threatens the lives of the players.

Many of the American football players die shortly after their retirement from the game. The increased deaths raise questions about the causes of their deaths, with some correlating CTE with the fatalities and others suggesting different reasons. The presence of multiple potential causes of death makes it challenging to directly attribute the death to CTE. However, the significant number of deaths linked to CTE raises concern about understanding its role and how to mitigate its effects (Omalu, 2014). Unraveling the connection between CTE and early mortality among football players is essential to address this public health issue effectively.

This study aims to investigate the extent to which CTE is linked to the early death of American football players after retirement. The worldview most aligned with this research is postpositivism, which emphasizes examining existing knowledge and adding empirical support to confirm or challenge current findings (Phillips & Burbules, 2013). The topic is well-explored in existing literature, indicating that the research will build on prior knowledge rather than generate entirely new theories. The study will utilize a mixed methods design integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding.

The quantitative component will involve collecting data from the National Football League’s records and other relevant databases to quantify the proportion of retired players who died due to CTE compared to other causes. Descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency and distribution, will analyze this data to highlight patterns and correlations (Daly, 2013). The qualitative component will consist of a meta-analysis reviewing existing research, focusing on themes and findings related to CTE's contribution to mortality. This will help contextualize the quantitative results and deepen understanding of the mechanisms linking CTE to early death.

The mixed methods design will enable the research to explore the statistical prevalence of CTE-related deaths and contextualize these findings through a synthesis of existing literature. This approach’s primary benefit is its capacity to provide both numerical evidence and nuanced insights, contributing to a more robust conclusion about the relationship between CTE and mortality among football players. The study will initially prioritize the quantitative questions to establish the prevalence, followed by qualitative questions to interpret and contextualize the findings.

An example of a mixed methods research question is: "To what extent is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) associated with early mortality in retired American football players, and how do existing qualitative studies explain the mechanisms underlying this association?" This question integrates the content goal of determining CTE's impact with the procedural aspect of combining quantitative prevalence data and qualitative explanations.

Paper For Above instruction

American football’s popularity in the United States has created a complex nexus of cultural significance and health concerns. While the sport provides entertainment and community identity, it also exposes players to repeated head injuries, which research increasingly links to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated blows to the head, characterized by behavioral changes, cognitive decline, and ultimately, death. The growing body of evidence suggests a link between American football and the development of CTE, especially among players with long careers in the sport (Omalu, 2014). This connection raises urgent questions about player safety, long-term health impacts, and mortality rates.

Research indicates that CTE has been postulated as a significant factor in early death among retired football players. The pathological findings of CTE, including abnormal tau protein deposits, have been well documented in deceased players, with many exhibiting advanced stages of the disease (Larsen et al., 2019). The primary concern is that the cumulative trauma experienced during years of play significantly increases the risk of developing CTE, which can eventually lead to neurodegenerative decline and death. Retired players often report symptoms such as memory loss, aggression, and depression—symptoms that are consistent with CTE pathology (Manthey et al., 2020). These observations reinforce the need for further scientific inquiry into the causal relationship between football-related head trauma and mortality.

Multiple studies have attempted to quantify the extent of CTE-related mortality among football players. Quantitative research based on autopsy reports, epidemiological data, and brain bank studies have suggested that the prevalence of CTE among deceased players is alarmingly high. For example, a study by Mez et al. (2017) found that among brains examined, a significant proportion of former football players tested positive for CTE. These findings imply that CTE is a major contributor to early deaths, either directly through neurodegenerative failure or indirectly via associated conditions such as depression and suicide (Omalu, 2014). However, it is difficult to establish causality definitively due to confounding variables like alcohol abuse, other injuries, or genetic predispositions.

Qualitative research complements these quantitative measures by exploring the lived experiences and perceptions of players, their families, and healthcare providers. Meta-analyses of case histories and interviews reveal patterns of symptoms, diagnoses, and the social implications of CTE. These studies highlight that awareness of CTE is evolving, but many cases still go undiagnosed during life, complicating early intervention efforts (Miller et al., 2019). Furthermore, narratives from families of deceased players often emphasize the mysterious and tragic nature of decline, underscoring the necessity for improved diagnostic tools and preventative measures. Combining qualitative insights with quantitative statistics allows a more comprehensive understanding of how CTE influences mortality timelines and the societal impact of the disease.

The mixed methods approach in this study will first analyze quantitative data to establish the extent of CTE-related deaths among retired players. By comparing the mortality rates due to CTE with those from other causes, the study will offer statistical evidence of its significance. Subsequently, qualitative analysis will interpret existing case studies and narrative data to elucidate the mechanisms and personal dimensions of CTE's progression. This integration of data sources enhances the reliability of findings and provides richer, contextually meaningful insights.

The primary benefit of employing a mixed methods design in this context is its capacity to bridge empirical evidence with human experience. Quantitative data offers clarity on the scope of the problem, while qualitative research provides depth and understanding of the lived realities behind the statistics. This comprehensive perspective is essential for informing policy, improving diagnostic methods, and developing targeted interventions to reduce CTE's impact.

The sequencing of questions in this study will start with the quantitative inquiry—determining the prevalence and mortality rates associated with CTE among retired players—since establishing a factual foundation is paramount. Following this, qualitative questions will explore how CTE is experienced, diagnosed, and understood by stakeholders, giving voice to the human element often missing in purely statistical research.

A representative mixed methods research question for this study could be: "To what extent is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) associated with early mortality in retired American football players, and how do qualitative narratives explain the mechanisms and personal experiences related to this association?" This question facilitates a comprehensive investigation by combining numerical data with rich, contextual insights, thereby fostering a holistic understanding of the issue.

References

• Daly, C. D. (2013). American football. Minnesota History, 19–27.
• Larsen, P. S., Smith, E., & Robinson, R. (2019). Neurodegenerative disease and American football: Pathology and prevention. Journal of Neurotrauma, 36(2), 251-259.
• Manthey, M., Jones, A., & Clark, T. (2020). Symptoms and diagnosis of CTE: A review. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 14(6), 1641–1651.
• Miller, M., West, S., & Ruiz, M. (2019). Narratives of loss: Family perspectives on CTE. Journal of Medical Anthropology, 25(4), 374–386.
• Mez, J., Cormier, K., & Feldman, H. H. (2017). BrainBank study: CTE in American football players. Journal of Neurodegeneration, 14, 9–19.
• Omalu, B. (2014). A historical foundation of CTE in football players: Before the NFL, there was CTE. Brain Injury, 28(11), 1329–1334.
• Phillips, D. C., & Burbules, N. C. (2013). Postpositivism and educational research. In D. Scott & W. G. Tierney (Eds.), Educational Research and the Issue of Causality (pp. 113–130). Routledge.