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Hossain MJ, Al-Mamun M, Alam M, Khatun MR, Sarker MMR, Islam MR. Child drownings in Bangladesh: need for action. BMJ Paediatr Open 2022; 6:10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001464. [PMID: 36053622 PMCID: PMC9171250 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Drowning is one of the major public health concerns, and children are the most vulnerable victims of drowning death in Bangladesh, which has been a paramount threat to child survival. Based on available data, we intend to underline the prevalence and associated risk factors for child drowning deaths in Bangladesh. According to the Center for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh, about 19 000 people of all ages drown per year across the country, where approximately 77% are children (<18 years), which means that over 40 Bangladeshi children drown per day. A recent survey reported that as of data collected from January 2020 to June 2021, 83% of drowning victims were children. Insufficient parental supervision, mother's illiteracy, lack of swimming ability, male gender, children under 5 years, geographical and environmental conditions, seasonality, and disasters significantly contribute to child drowning deaths in Bangladesh. We urge the governments and local administrations to address the current crisis by coordinating and integrating several effective efforts to prevent child drowning deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Jamal Hossain
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Al-Mamun
- Department of Sociology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, Bangladesh
| | - Morshed Alam
- Institution of Education and Research, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mst Rukaia Khatun
- Department of Public Health, Varendra University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh.,Seba Nursing Institute, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Rabiul Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Jeswani NL, Khilji MF, Rizvi S, Al Reesi A. Epidemiology of Drowning Incidents among Children at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital Oman. Oman Med J 2021; 36:e320. [PMID: 34868666 PMCID: PMC8630711 DOI: 10.5001/omj.2021.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives We sought to study the epidemiology of drowning among children reported at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of the patients who presented to the emergency department with a history of drowning over 10 years from January 2008 to December 2017. Patients with children aged one to 18 years old were included in the study. The data including demographics, timing and location of drowning, season, adult supervision, swimming ability, medical risk factors, duration of submersion, on spot resuscitation, emergency medicine department assessment, and hospital management and outcome were collected from electronic hospital information system using a preformed proforma. The outcome was categorized into either full recovery, severe neurological injury, or brain death based on the pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC). A good outcome represents a score of 1–3 points, and a PCPC of 4–6 points corresponds to a poor outcome. We calculated correlation for all variables with the outcome by using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. A p-value of < 0.050 is taken as significant value. Results A total of 74 patients were included in the study; 54 (73.0%) were male, and 47 (63.5%) were aged < 6 years old. More than half (59.4%) of drownings happened in swimming pool, 21 (28.4%) children were unsupervised during the incident, and 39 (52.7%) required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Out of all studied subjects, three (4.1%) were brain dead, and two (2.7%) developed severe neurological injury. On univariate analysis, the following variables were statistically significant (p < 0.050), predicting the poor outcome like lack of adult supervision, duration of submersion >10 minutes, asystole, Glasgow Coma Scale < 8, temperature < 35 oC, pH < 7, anion gap > 20, blood glucose > 10 mmol/L, abnormal chest X-ray findings, rewarming, CPR, intubation, inotropic support, and pediatric intensive care unit admission. Conclusions Our study suggests that children, especially males under the age of six with no swimming ability, need strict supervision next to bodies of water. Furthermore, preventive measures might include raising community awareness about the risk factors of drowning, commencing public CPR lessons, and strict pool safety regulation by related authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niranjan Lal Jeswani
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman
| | | | - Syed Rizvi
- Family Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Abdullah Al Reesi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman
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Hossain MM, Mani K, Mat Min R. SMS Text Messages for Parents for the Prevention of Child Drowning in Bangladesh: Acceptability Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e16958. [PMID: 32965224 PMCID: PMC7542397 DOI: 10.2196/16958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In many cases, greater use is being made of mobile phone text messages as a means of communication between patients and health care providers in countries around the world. Objective We studied the use of mobile phones and the factors related to the acceptability of text messages for parents for the prevention of child drowning in Bangladesh. Methods From a randomized controlled trial involving 800 parents, 10% (80/800) were selected, and socioeconomic status, mobile phone use, and acceptability of SMS text messages for drowning prevention were measured. Participants with at least one child under 5 years of age were selected from rural areas in Rajshahi District in Bangladesh. Mobile phone–based SMS text messages were sent to the participants. Multivariate regression was used to determine the factors related to the acceptability of text messages for the prevention of child drowning in Bangladesh. Results The acceptability of SMS text messages for the prevention of child drowning in Bangladesh was significantly lower among women (odds ratio [OR] 0.50, 95% CI 0.12-1.96, P=.02) than among men, lower for parents older than 30 years (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.14-1.70, P=.01) compared to parents younger than 30 years, higher among parents who had an education (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.11-5.80, P=.04) than among illiterate parents, and higher among parents with a monthly household income over 7000 Bangladeshi Taka (approximately US $82.54; OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.96, P=.05) than among parents whose monthly income was less than 7000 Bangladeshi Taka. Conclusions The high percentage of mobile phone use and the acceptability of SMS text messages for parents for the prevention of child drowning are encouraging, in terms of identifying the best strategy for using such technologies, and deserve further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mosharaf Hossain
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Kulanthayan Mani
- Safe Kids Malaysia and Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ruhani Mat Min
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
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Cenderadewi M, Franklin RC, Peden AE, Devine S. Fatal intentional drowning in Australia: A systematic literature review of rates and risk factors. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231861. [PMID: 32442177 PMCID: PMC7244177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Unintentional drowning deaths are only part of the drowning profile, with little attention being paid to intentional drowning in Australia. Strategies for the prevention of intentional drowning deaths are likely to be different from unintentional. Quality documentation, analysis and dissemination of intentional deaths data is crucial for developing appropriate strategies for prevention. OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the mortality rates and risk factors of intentional drowning deaths in Australia. METHODS A systematic search guided by PRISMA was performed using Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO (ProQuest), Scopus, Google Scholar, and BioMed Central databases to locate relevant original research articles published between 2007 and 2018. RESULTS Ten papers reporting the mortality rates and risk factors of intentional drowning deaths in Australia published between 2007 and 2018, with study periods of the included articles spanning from 1907 to 2012, were reviewed. Most studies investigated suicidal drowning deaths in Australia, none reported homicidal drowning deaths. The downward trend of fatal suicide drowning was identified in Australia. The annual rate of intentional drowning between 1994 and 2012 can be inferred from eight studies, ranging from 0.06 to 0.21 for nation-wide mortality rates. The highest annual state-wide mortality rate was identified in the state of Queensland, ranging from 0.02 to 0.11 per 100,000 individuals. Of four studies examining the risk factors of fatal intentional drowning in Australia, being of older age groups, being female, and the presence of substance use were identified as important factors for suicidal drowning deaths. The national-scale proportion of suicide drowning in Australia, ranging from 2% to 3% of all intentional self-harm deaths, was also identified. CONCLUSION Limited publications reporting the mortality rates and risk factors of intentional drowning deaths in Australia were identified. Being of older age groups and being female were recognised as factors for suicide drowning deaths, and psychoactive substances were widely identified amongst cases. Future research on improving death reporting systems and the legal framework for medico-legal death investigation, along with the investigation of the risk factors of intentional drowning, are required to inform the planning, implementation, and evaluation of prevention interventions for intentional drowning deaths in Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muthia Cenderadewi
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Richard C. Franklin
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- Royal Life Saving Society—Australia, Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Amy E. Peden
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- Royal Life Saving Society—Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sue Devine
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
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Mahboob A, Richmond SA, Harkins JP, Macpherson AK. Childhood unintentional injury: The impact of family income, education level, occupation status, and other measures of socioeconomic status. A systematic review. Paediatr Child Health 2019; 26:e39-e45. [PMID: 33542777 DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxz145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Unintentional injuries represent a substantial public health burden among children and adolescents, and previous evidence suggests that there are disparities in injury by socioeconomic status (SES). This paper reports on a systematic review of literature on injury rates among children and adolescents by measures of SES. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted using six electronic databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, EMBASE, and SportsDiscus. This review considered children ages 19 years and under and publications between 1997 and 2017-representing an update since the last systematic review examined this specific question. Fifty-four articles were summarized based on study and participant descriptions, outcome and exposure, statistical tests used, effect estimates, and overall significance. Results Most articles addressed risk factors across all injury mechanisms; however, some focused particularly on burns/scalds, road traffic injuries, falls/drowning cases, and playground/sports injuries. Other studies reported on specific injury types including traumatic dental injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and fractures. The studies were of moderate quality, with a median of 15.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.34 to 15.66) out of 19. Thirty-two studies found an inverse association between SES and childhood unintentional injury, three found a positive association while twenty were not significant or failed to report effect measures. Conclusion Given the variability in definition of the exposure (SES) and outcome (injury), the results of this review were mixed; however, the majority of studies supported a relationship between low SES and increased injury risk. Public health practice must consider SES, and other measures of health equity, in childhood injury prevention programming, and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afifa Mahboob
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario
| | - Sarah A Richmond
- Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario.,Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
| | - Joshua P Harkins
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario
| | - Alison K Macpherson
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario
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Rahman A, Jagnoor J, Baset KU, Ryan D, Ahmed T, Rogers K, Hossain MJ, Ivers R, Rahman AKMF. Vulnerability to fatal drowning among the population in Southern Bangladesh: findings from a cross-sectional household survey. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e027896. [PMID: 31530589 PMCID: PMC6756443 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the fatal drowning burden and associated risk factors in Southern Bangladesh. SETTINGS The survey was conducted in 39 subdistricts of all 6 districts of the Barisal division, Southern Bangladesh. PARTICIPANTS All residents (for a minimum 6 months prior to survey) of the Barisal division, Southern Bangladesh. INTERVENTION/METHODS A cross-sectional, divisionally representative household survey was conducted in all six districts of the Barisal division between September 2016 and February 2017, covering a population of 386 016. Data were collected by face-to-face interview with adult respondents using handheld electronic tablets. International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-v. 10 (ICD-10) Chapter XX: External causes of morbidity and mortality codes for drowning, W65-W74, X36-X39, V90, V92, X71 or X92, were used as the operational definition of a drowning event. RESULTS The overall fatal drowning rate in Barisal was 37.9/100 000 population per year (95% CI 31.8 to 43.9). The highest fatal drowning rate was observed among children aged 1-4 years (262.2/100 000/year). Mortality rates among males (48.2/100 000/year) exceeded that for females (27.9/100 000/year). A higher rate of fatal drowning was found in rural (38.9/100 000/year) compared with urban areas (29.3/100 000/year). The results of the multivariable logistic regression identified that the factors significantly associated with fatal drowning were being male (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.3), aged 1-4 years (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.4 to 6.4) and residing in a household with four or more children (four or more children OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.9; and five or more children OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.7). CONCLUSION Drowning is a public health problem, especially for children, in the Barisal division of Southern Bangladesh. Male gender, children 1-4 years of age and residing in a household with four or more children were associated with increased risk of fatal drowning events. The Barisal division demands urgent interventions targeted at high-risk groups identified in the survey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminur Rahman
- Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jagnoor Jagnoor
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kamran Ul Baset
- Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Dan Ryan
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Moreleigh, Devon, UK
| | - Tahera Ahmed
- Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kris Rogers
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Rebecca Ivers
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - A K M Fazlur Rahman
- Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Liu Z, Kong F, Yin L, Wang A, Xiong L, Xie D, Chen L, Sheng X. Epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of fatal drowning in children under 5 years old in Hunan Province, China: case-control study. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:955. [PMID: 31315598 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7241-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Drowning is still the primary cause of death in children under 5 years old, however, little is known about the drowning of Hunan province children. This study identifies the previously unpublished incidence and characteristics of fatal drowning in children of Hunan Province, and provide a basis for formulating strategies for children’s survival, development and protection. Methods Data were collected through sampling with the multistage stratified cluster. The case group included all fatal frowning children under 5 years old in 13 districts between October 2015 and September 2016. The control group was matched 1:1.The epidemic features and influencing factors of fatal drowning were analyzed retrospectively according to descriptive analysis, conditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results For children aged 0–4 years, the fatal drowning was 16.1/100000 in Hunan Province. Drowning rates were higher for boys than girls. The proportion of rural areas is much higher than that of urban areas. The 1–2 years age-group was the highest of all age groups. Fatal drowning mainly occurred in summer. The three leading drowning locations were pond, ditch and well. Playing close to the water were the leading activities that preceded fatal drowning. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that: children with primary caregiver education in high school and above (OR = 0.05) have a lower risk of fatal drowning; children with full-time care (OR = 0.17) have a lower risk; children who received unintentional drowning safety education (OR = 0.23) have a lower risk of fatal drowning. Children who were always swimming or playing near the water in the past 6 months (OR = 3.13) have a higher risk of fatal drowning. Conclusion The fatal drowning among children under 5 years is the result of the interaction of multiple factors. A significant number of child deaths could have been prevented if parents and other close relatives had been more concerned about the safety of their children. We should develop health education plans for villagers to warn them of the dangers of drowning and preventive measures.
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Khatlani K, Alonge O, Rahman A, Hoque DME, Bhuiyan AA, Agrawal P, Rahman F. Caregiver Supervision Practices and Risk of Childhood Unintentional Injury Mortality in Bangladesh. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017; 14:E515. [PMID: 28492502 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14050515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Unintentional injury-related mortality rate, including drowning among children under five, is disproportionately higher in low- and middle-income countries. The evidence links lapse of supervision with childhood unintentional injury deaths. We determined the relationship between caregiver supervision and unintentional injury mortality among children under five in rural Bangladesh. We conducted a nested, matched, case-control study within the cohort of a large-scale drowning prevention project in Bangladesh, “SOLID—Saving of Children’s Lives from Drowning”. From the baseline survey of the project, 126 cases (children under five with unintentional injury deaths) and 378 controls (alive children under five) were selected at case-control ratio of 1:3 and individually matched on neighborhood. The association between adult caregiver supervision and fatal injuries among children under five was determined in a multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis, and reported as adjusted matched odds ratio (MOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Children under five experiencing death due to unintentional injuries, including drowning, had 3.3 times increased odds of being unsupervised as compared with alive children (MOR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.6–7.0), while adjusting for children’s sex, age, socioeconomic index, and adult caregivers’ age, education, occupation, and marital status. These findings are concerning and call for concerted, multi-sectoral efforts to design community-level prevention strategies. Public awareness and promotion of appropriate adult supervision strategies are needed.
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Tyler MD, Richards DB, Reske-Nielsen C, Saghafi O, Morse EA, Carey R, Jacquet GA. The epidemiology of drowning in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2017; 17:413. [PMID: 28482868 PMCID: PMC5423024 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4239-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background According to the World Health Organization, drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths worldwide, accounting for 370,000 annual deaths and 7% of all injury-related deaths. Low- and middle-income countries are the most affected, accounting for 91% of unintentional drowning deaths. Methods The authors performed a systematic review of literature indexed in EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Traumatology journals formerly indexed in PubMed in January 2014 and again in September 2016. Abstracts were limited to human studies in English, conducted in low- and middle-income countries, and containing quantitative data on drowning epidemiology. Results A total of 62 articles met inclusion criteria. The majority of articles originate from Asia (56%) and Africa (26%). Risk factors for drowning included young age (<17–20 years old), male gender (75% vs. 25% female), rural environment (84% vs. 16% urban), occurring in the daytime (95% vs. 5% night time), lack of adult supervision (76% vs. 18% supervised), and limited swimming ability (86% vs. 10% with swimming ability). There was almost equal risk of drowning in a small body of water versus a large body of water (42% ponds, ditches, streams, wells; 46% lakes, rivers, sea, ocean). Conclusion Drowning is a significant cause of injury-related deaths, especially in LMICs. Young males who are unsupervised in rural areas and have limited formal swimming instruction are at greatest risk of drowning in small bodies of water around their homes. Preventative strategies include covering wells and cisterns, fencing off ditches and small ponds, establishing community daycares, providing formal swimming lessons, and increasing awareness of the risks of drowning. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4239-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Robert Carey
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
| | - Gabrielle A Jacquet
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, USA.,Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
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Staines C, Ozanne-Smith J. Drowning deaths between 1861 and 2000 in Victoria, Australia. Bull World Health Organ 2017; 95:174-181. [PMID: 28250530 PMCID: PMC5328110 DOI: 10.2471/blt.16.174425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the long-term patterns of drowning mortality in the state of Victoria, Australia, and to describe the historical context in which the decrease occurred. METHODS We obtained data on drowning deaths and population statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and its predecessors for the period 1861 to 2000. From these data, we calculated drowning death rates per 100 000 population per year, by gender and age. We reviewed primary and secondary historical resources, such as government and newspaper archives, books and the Internet, to identify changes or events in the state that may have affected drowning mortality. FINDINGS From 1861 to 2000, at least 18 070 people drowned in Victoria. Male drowning rates were higher than those for females in all years and for all ages. Both sexes experienced the highest drowning rate in 1863 (79.5 male deaths per 100 000 population and 18.8 female death per 100 000 population). The lowest drowning rate was documented in 2000 (1.4 male deaths per 100 000 population and 0.3 female deaths per 100 000 population). The reduction patterns of drowning mortality occurred within a historical context of factors that directly affected drowning mortality, such as the improvement in people's water safety skills, or those that incidentally affected drowning mortality, like infrastructure development. CONCLUSION We identified patterns of reduction in drowning mortality, both in males and females and across age groups. These patterns could be linked to events and factors that happened in Victoria during this period. These findings may have relevance to current developing communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Staines
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 65 Kavanagh Street, Southbank, Victoria, 3006 Australia
| | - Joan Ozanne-Smith
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 65 Kavanagh Street, Southbank, Victoria, 3006 Australia
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Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS, Ramasamy J. Dealing with the neglected public health issue of drowning in low-resource settings. Indian J Crit Care Med 2016; 20:433-4. [PMID: 27555702 PMCID: PMC4968070 DOI: 10.4103/0972-5229.186264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Prateek Saurabh Shrivastava
- Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jegadeesh Ramasamy
- Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India
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