Drowning prevention information: Identifying channels and disparities - a survey of a level 1 paediatric trauma...

Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide and the leading cause among US children aged 1-4 years. Drowning prevention education could reduce these rates. Identifying where parents/caregivers receive drowning prevention information is crucial for targeted efforts. We aimed to assess whether parents/caregivers of children aged ≤12 years receive drowning prevention information and to explore if disparities exist between those who receive and those who do not receive this information.

This survey-based study was conducted at a level 1 Paediatric Trauma Center. Eligible participants were English- or Spanish-speaking parents/caregivers of children aged ≤12 years who presented to the emergency department (ED) and received non-resuscitative care when the primary investigator was available. Parents/caregivers were approached, consented and surveyed. We compared parents/caregivers who received drowning prevention information to those who did not.

Out of 301 eligible parents/caregivers, 293 completed the survey. The majority were aged between 22 and 34 years (56%), with 67% white and 30% black. Only 15% reported receiving drowning prevention information, with white parents/caregivers receiving it twice as often as black parents/caregivers.The most common sources/communication channels were family, social media and swim instructors, while the preferred sources were swim instructors, text messages and ED discharge paperwork.

Our study revealed that only a small number of parents/caregivers surveyed reported receiving drowning prevention information and highlighted disparities existing between groups that received information and those that did not. Using non-traditional channels-such as text messaging, ED discharge instructions and social media-could help reach more parents/caregivers, thereby addressing disparities.