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Water safe Worcester: student-led drowning prevention in an adolescent underserved population
Katharine Playter1, Erin Hurley1, Kendall Lavin-Parsons1
1UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
Frontiers in Public Health
|July 29, 2024
Summary
Adolescents face high drowning risks, especially BIPOC and low-income youth. A tailored swim program in Worcester, MA, improved water safety skills and reduced fear, offering a vital public health intervention.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention
- Aquatic Safety
Background:
- Adolescents (15-19) have the second-highest fatal drowning rates.
- Drowning risk is disproportionately higher for BIPOC and low-socioeconomic status populations.
- Worcester, MA, presents a high-risk environment due to natural water bodies and a significant BIPOC population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate an age-appropriate water safety and swim education program for at-risk adolescents in Worcester, MA.
- To address the gap in existing swim programs not tailored for adolescent needs.
- To promote health equity and injury prevention within a vulnerable community.
Main Methods:
- University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan Medical School students and community partners created "Water Safe Worcester" (WSW).
- Free, 90-minute swim lessons were offered at the YMCA, focusing on water safety knowledge, swimming skills, and fear reduction.
- Program instructors included medical students, graduate students, and staff, with 73 adolescents attending sessions.
Main Results:
- The Water Safe Worcester program demonstrated promising outcomes in improving water safety and swimming abilities.
- Participants showed increased knowledge of emergency procedures and reduced fear of water.
- The program successfully engaged at-risk adolescents, providing life-saving skills and promoting community health.
Conclusions:
- WSW serves as a successful model for adolescent water safety education and drowning risk reduction.
- The program highlights the importance of tailored interventions for vulnerable populations.
- It offers valuable public health and injury prevention experience for medical trainees.
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