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Where children drown, United States, 1995
R A Brenner1, A C Trumble, G S Smith
1National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. brennerr@nih.gov
Pediatrics
|July 4, 2001
Summary
Drowning is a leading cause of child death. In 1995, bathtub drownings were common in infants, while pools and freshwater bodies were frequent for older children. Targeted prevention is crucial for high-risk groups like black adolescent males.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for US children (ages 1-19).
- Specific submersion site data is vital for prevention but often missing from national statistics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present national data on specific drowning locations for US children.
- To analyze drowning rates by age, race, and gender across different sites.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1995 US death certificates for unintentional drownings in individuals under 20.
- Drowning site coded from free-text fields; rates calculated using 1995 US Census Bureau population estimates.
Main Results:
- 1420 unintentional drownings documented; site specified for 92%.
- Infant drownings: 55% in bathtubs. Ages 1-4: 56% in artificial pools, 26% in freshwater. Older children: 63% in natural freshwater.
- Black males aged 10-19 had significantly higher swimming pool drowning rates compared to white males.
Conclusions:
- Diverse drowning locations necessitate multifaceted prevention strategies.
- Targeted interventions are essential to reduce high drowning rates among black adolescent males, particularly in swimming pools.
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