Drowning Rates Due to Falls in Swimming Pools in Brazil Between the Last 25 Years

Abstract

Introduction: Drowning is the process of respiratory failure due to submersion/ immersion in liquids, being responsible for generating a victim every 94 minutes in Brazil. Still, it is the second leading cause of accidents in young children in the country. Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to drowning by falling into a swimming pool in Brazil between 1998 and 2022, understanding the main affected public, as well as the measures implemented to combat this situation. Methodology: This is a descriptive observational study, whose data were collected by the DataSUS platform. The collection started from the Hospital Information System (SIH), through hospital morbidity data by place of hospitalization between January 1998 and December 2022 through the category of disease: drowning and submersion resulting from falling into a swimming pool CID 10-W68. Results and discussion: Drowning on beaches, pools, rivers and dams are the cause of an average of 5,700 deaths per year in Brazil. Children and young men are the main victims. The most affected age group is between 1 and 4 years old and the main reason associated with drowning is the lack of attention from parents. Children with epilepsy and developmental disorders are risk factors for drowning. This way, protective measures are the best way to combat. Conclusion: Despite being something easily preventable, drowning, especially in children, is still common in Brazilian daily life. Thus, prevention measures for both children and adults and awareness programs must be used in order to reduce their mortality in the country.