Identifying a gap in drowning prevention: high-risk populations

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Injury Prevention
• Social Epidemiology

Background:

• Drowning reduction has varied across populations.
• Prevention strategies may fail to address social determinants like ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
• Ethnic minorities are over-represented in injury statistics, yet under-explored in drowning research.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify high-risk populations for drowning.
• Determine key risk factors contributing to drowning.
• Evaluate existing and propose novel prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
• Searched peer-reviewed English literature (1990-2018) from high-income countries.
• Included search terms: drowning, water safety, ethnic minority, migrant, culturally diverse.

Main Results:

• 35 articles included; high-risk groups identified: ethnic minorities, First Nations/Aboriginal people, migrants, rural residents.
• Drowning risk factors include social determinants, swimming ability, and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
• Limited intervention studies found, focusing on adult upskilling, rock fishing safety, and swim programs for minority children.

Conclusions:

• Existing literature on drowning among high-risk adult populations is limited.
• Drowning prevention strategies require enhanced cultural appropriateness to address disparities.
• Integrating social determinants of health is crucial for improving drowning outcomes globally.