Interventions associated with drowning prevention in children and adolescents: systematic literature review

Abstract

Relatively few studies employ rigorous methods and high levels of evidence to assess the impact of interventions designed to reduce drowning. Studies are also limited by lack of consistency in measured outcomes and drowning terminology. Further work is required to establish efficacy of interventions for older children and adolescents. There is a need for rigorous, well-designed studies that use consistent terminology to demonstrate effective prevention solutions.

Drowning in swimming pools: clinical features and safety recommendations based on a study of descriptive records by emergency medical services attending to 995 calls

“…Drowning fatalities in this age group are the highest worldwide and most often associated with swimming pools, (4) although these children are also at risk from drowning at home. (4,(13)(14)(15)(16) 26.2% of the cases in the present study involved victims aged 40 years and above, for whom comorbidities or unexpected medical events may have precipitated drowning and become a consideration in management. In two cases, the drowning was precipitated by seizures.…”

“…Medical professionals and building managers in Singapore have issued calls for legislation of pool design and pool fencing. (13)(14)(15) While rigorous studies with high-level evidence are lacking, (26) there is empiric evidence from the US, Australia and New Zealand of the protective effect of pool fencing against childhood drowning, particularly in the age group of 0-4 years. (27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33) Legislation for pool fencing has also been shown to decrease drowning deaths, (34)(35)(36) although not to the extent that might be anticipated, likely due to inadequate enforcement.…”

Muertes de causa externa en menores de cinco años en Colombia 2005-2013

“…Several countries have designed strategies to reduce drowning deaths 15 , traffic accidents 16 and intoxications 17 . Regarding Colombia, the restriction on the use of gunpowder 18 , as well as the extension of the use of household gas (in replacement of liquid hydrocarbon stoves, so common a couple of decades ago), must have contributed to the reduction of chil mortality, especially those who died by fire 19 .…”

Cognitive and Behavioral Risk Factors for Unintentional Drowning Among Rural Chinese Children

“…Existing interventions devoted to unintentional drowning prevention focus primarily on younger children (e.g., under age 4) or adults rather than school-aged children [24,25]. Further, a systematic survey of the English and Chinese-language literature reveals few well-designed intervention efforts within China (see [15] for an exception).…”