A new report shows concussion diagnoses among New York youths rose 72 percent over the past five years.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association says diagnoses rose to 18.5 per 1,000 members ages 10 through 19 last year.
That's up from 10.7 concussions per 1,000 youths in 2010.
The association says the national rate increase was similar, attributing it to both media attention and recent state laws aimed at preventing sports participants from "shaking off" signs of head injuries.
New York in 2012 required immediate benching of any student who has or may have suffered a concussion in a school-related activity, saying they could play again only after they are symptom-free for 24 hours and cleared by a doctor.
Patients ages 15 through 17 were likeliest to be diagnosed.
