Characteristics of drowning by different age groups

Abstract

Context: While it is known that the risk of unintentional drowning varies with age, the manner in which drowning episode characteristics vary by age has not been well described. Such information might be useful for prevention. Objective: To describe characteristics of drowning by age group. Design: Retrospective review of the characteristics of drowning victims and their drowning incidents obtained from death certificates, medical examiner, pre-hospital, emergency department, and hospital records. Setting: Three counties in Western Washington state. Subjects: Residents who died (n=709) of unintentional drowning within the study region during 1980 through 1995. Outcomes: Age specific counts, proportions, and rates per million person years were estimated for and compared among six age groups. Results: Rates varied by age group: 0-4 (30.5), 5-14 (11.6), 15-19 (29.9), 20-34 (21.5), 35-64 (12.5), and 65 years or older (21.2). Among those 0-4 years, the proportions that drowned in pools, bathtubs, and open water were nearly equal. But from age 5-64 years, over 69% of deaths were in open water. Among those 65 years and older, the deaths were almost evenly divided between bathtub and open water; bathtub drowning rates were highest in this age group, 10.9. Pre-drowning activities were divided into boating, swimming, car passenger, bathing, and fell in while doing something else. Most (64/89, 76%) victims aged 0-4 years drowned while bathing or after falling in. Among those 15-19 years, most occurred while swimming (24/79, 34%) or boating (22/79, 31%). The drowning event was least often witnessed among those 0-4 years (10/36, 28%), and most often witnessed (44/58, 76%) among those 15-19 years. Medical care (pre-hospital, emergency department, or hospital) was most often involved in drownings of those 0-4 years (70/89, 79%) and least among those over 65 years (11/86, 13%). Conclusion: The characteristics of drowning episodes vary greatly by age. Different prevention strategies may be needed for different age groups. D rowning rates are known to vary greatly with age.

Drowning and Emergency Department

“…[13] Quan ve ark. [8] ile Nasrullah ve ark. nın [14] yaptığı çalışmada en fazla ölüm dört yaş altında gö-rülmüştür.…”

“…[4,8,[14][15][16] Bizim çalışmamızda da aynı sonuca ulaştık. Erkek bireylerin daha aktif olması, yüksek riskli aktiviteler yapması ve kültürel özellik nedeniyle açık alanlarda bulunma olasılıklarının daha yüksek olmasının, sonucu etkilediği söylenebilir.…”

“…Sonuç diğer çalışmalarla benzer bulunmuştur. [8,13,15,20] Sıcak havalarda dinlenme, serinleme ve eğlence amaçlı su kenarlarına gitme eğilimi boğulma riskini de beraberinde getirmektedir. Yaz aylarında, özelikle çocuklu ailelerin daha dikkatli olmaları; kanalet, su drenaj alanlarında ve göl kenarlarında tel örgüler gibi koruyucu önlemlerin alınması ile ma- [21][22][23] Bizim çalışmamızda da tatlı/ tuzlu su maruziyetinin kan elektroit düzeylerinde (sodyum ve potasyum) değişiklik yapmadığı sonucuna ulaştık.…”

“…[4] Boğul-ma için risk faktörleri erkek cinsiyet, <14 yaş, riskli davranış-lar, düşük sosyo-ekonomik düzey, eğitim ve güvenlik kontrol eksikliği, alkol kullanımı, eşlik eden nörolojik veya kardiyak hastalıklardır. [5][6][7][8] Çalışmamızın amacı, acil servise boğulma başvurularında demografik özellikleri, klinik ve biyokimyasal parametreleri kullanarak olguların yönetimini ve prognozunu etkileyecek faktörleri güncel literatür ışığında belirlemektir.…”

Recommended Guidelines for Uniform Reporting of Data From Drowning

“…Seizure is the most common initiating event in all age groups. 41 Loss of consciousness from any cause, however, such as hyperventilation before breathholding under water, concussion, stroke, or cardiac arrhythmia, may result in drowning. Circulatory arrest from arrhythmias is probably underestimated as a major cause of loss of consciousness among older adults with ischemic heart disease; it is also a cause of loss of consciousness among children and young adults with unrecognized prolonged QT syndrome.…”