Pediatric Diving-Related Injuries in Swimming Pools Presenting to US Emergency Departments: 2008-2020

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Nathan Houlihan1, Ronit Shah, Alex Adams

  • 1From the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.

Pediatric Emergency Care
|July 18, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Diving injuries are common in US children and adolescents, particularly males aged 10-19. Diving-related injuries significantly decreased in 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Sports Medicine

Background:

  • Recreational diving is a frequent physical activity for US children.
  • Diving injuries represent a significant cause of childhood morbidity nationwide.
  • This study provides an updated national epidemiological overview of diving-related injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To update the national epidemiology of diving-related injuries in children and adolescents.
  • To identify risk factors and trends in diving injuries.
  • To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diving injury incidence.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database.
  • Analyzed data for patients aged 0-19 presenting with diving injuries from 2008-2020.
  • Extracted dive characteristics from case narratives to determine injury mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Identified 37,387 estimated diving-related injuries nationally (2008-2020).
  • Males (64%) and adolescents aged 10-19 (5.8 per 100,000) were most affected.
  • Contact with diving boards/platforms was common (34%), with backward or acrobatic dives increasing odds of such injuries.
  • A notable decrease in injury incidence to 1.6 per 100,000 was observed in 2020.

Conclusions:

  • Diving injuries disproportionately affect male children and adolescents, especially those aged 10-19.
  • A significant decline in diving-related injuries occurred in 2020, correlating with the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Public health interventions may be needed to mitigate risks associated with diving activities.
Abstract

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