Understanding non-fatal drowning in Victoria, Australia: a 20-year analysis of hospital admission data

Unintentional drowning is a global public health concern, and in Australia, non-fatal drowning outcomes are estimated to be three times that of fatal incidents. Understanding non-fatal drowning trends would enable tailored prevention efforts to address the full burden of drowning, yet little research has investigated this.

Retrospective analysis considered unintentional drowning-related hospital admissions in the state of Victoria, Australia between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2022.

Overall, 1849 hospital admissions resulted from non-fatal drowning in Victoria. Rates increased significantly by 1.86% annually (95% CI (0.91, 2.82)). Males and females recorded significant increases in hospital admission (2.4% (95% CI 0.7%, 4.2%) for females vs 1.6% (95% CI 0.5%, 2.7%) for males). Admission rates increased among several age groups, with significant increases recorded among young people aged 15-24 years (3.99%, p=0.0041), children aged 5-9 years (3.33%, p<0.04) and 25-64 years (3.07%, p=0.0001). Regarding regionality, drowning rates were higher with increasing remoteness, and people born in Oceania and Antarctica recorded the majority (86.1%) of hospital admissions over the 20 years.

Increases in hospital admissions over the 20 years are concerning and highlight the rising burden of drowning on Victorian health systems. These trends identify where preventative efforts may be directed to reduce drowning, especially regarding the prominence of children. Raising awareness of non-fatal drowning is necessary to demonstrate the full impact and burden of drowning and could be achieved through multisectoral collaboration, consistent communication and messaging, and innovative programmes and policy.