Compliance with an Ordinance Requiring the Use of Personal Flotation Devices by Children in Public Waterways

Abstract

Introduction:For children ages 1–14, 21.6% of drowning cases involve swimming, wading, or playing in natural bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes. Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are believed to be an effective prevention measure. We measure compliance with city and county ordinances, publicized but not actively enforced, requiring that PFDs be worn by children accessing public bodies of water in Sacramento County, California.Methods:During June–August 2010, volunteers conducted 79 observation sessions at three popular local river beaches where PFDs were available for use at no cost. They recorded personal characteristics and PFD use for 1,727 children in or very near the water and believed to be 0–13 years of age (the age covered by the ordinances). We used logistic regression to quantify differences in use by subject characteristics and study site.Results:The prevalence of PFD use was 29.9% overall, with large and significant differences by age: < 1, 55.6%; 1–4, 37.6%; 5–10, 29.4%; 10–13, 14.6%; P < 0.0001. Usage did not vary significantly by sex or race/ethnicity, and was somewhat higher at one study site (33.1%) than at the others (25.9% and 27.3%), P = 0.009.Conclusion:The combination of a statutory requirement and a cost-elimination strategy was associated with moderate rates of PFD use that were highest among young children.

The burden of unintentional drowning: global, regional and national estimates of mortality from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study

“…Child drowning prevention is a well-established area of research,18 31 with multiple studies identifying strategies which can effectively prevent unintentional drowning in high-income countries and LMICs, including restricting access to water,32 supervision,33 learning to swim,34 crèches35 and the use of life jackets 36. However, it is noted that there is a need to take interventions to scale18 and that strategies will need to take into account factors such as age, gender and access to safe aquatic locations 37.…”

Fatal river drowning: the identification of research gaps through a systematic literature review

“…This paper observed the use of lifejackets by children at three popular local river beaches in Sacramento County, California. 65 Of the nine papers which proposed prevention strategies, education was mentioned in six (66.7%). Other proposed strategies included fencing, 43 37 67 signage, 53 depth gauges, 53 grills, 43 covers, 67 lifejackets, 34 45 53 54 65 legislation and enforcement, 65 and supervision.…”

“… 54 Evidence for papers citing proposed strategies for prevention was generally low, classified as level IV in 90.0% of papers, with only one paper being classified as level III-3. 65 …”

Developing drowning prevention strategies for rivers through the use of a modified Delphi process

“…The use and wear of lifejackets was one of the most commonly proposed strategies, also recommended by the WHO,4 with 29 individual strategies mentioning lifejackets at phase 1. For the 14% of boating and watercraft-related river drowning deaths in Australia, evidence supports wearing lifejackets31 32 and have also been found to be effective for those recreating in water 33. However, in order to be effective, a supportive environment must exist whereby policy (and enforcement)15 34 provides a mechanism for increasing the carriage and wear of lifejackets.…”