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rogress in reducing drownings
The long-term trend towards fewer drownings in Canada continues. With 431 drownings and preventable waterrelated deaths, 2001 marked the fifth consecutive year that a record low was reached. During the past five years (1997–2001), Canadian water-related deaths have decreased by 20% from the previous five years (1992–1996).
Taking population growth into account, the Canadian preventable water-related death rate also continues to decrease. In 2001 (the most recent year for which national data is available), the death rate reached a new low of 1.4 deaths per 100,000 population (see chart #1). The average annual death rate for 1997–2001 (1.6) decreased by 27% from the average for 1992–1996 (2.2).
Fewer drownings occurred among all age groups during the past five years (1997-2001) versus the previous five years, except for 50 to 64-year-olds, for whom there was virtually no change.
The largest decreases by age group were among young children under five years of age and young men 25 to 34 years of age (see chart #2).
By activity group, recreational powerboaters, sport fishermen and young children playing in and near water have seen the largest decreases in the number of drownings (see chart #4).
These high-risk groups have been key targets of the Lifesaving Society’s Water SmartŪ public education campaign.
Unfortunately, drowning is still the third leading cause of unintentional death for Canadians under 60 years of age, surpassed only by motor vehicle collisions and poisoning. This makes drowning prevention a long-term commitment for the Lifesaving Society and its partners.
ho is drowning ?
- Men—83% of Canadian drowning victims are male. This makes men almost five times more likely to drown than women.
- All age groups, but especially young men and young children. The highest drowning death rate is among 18 to 24-year-olds (see chart #2).
- Trend toward lower drowning death rate among all age groups, but largest decrease is among children under 5 years (see chart #2).
- Both swimmers (71% of victims) and non-swimmers.
here were they ?
- Usually on lakes and ponds (36% of 1997–2001 fatalities), or rivers and streams (29%) (see chart #3).
- Trend toward fewer drownings in all aquatic settings (see chart #3).
- Although the absolute number of drownings in backyard pools is fewer than for lakes or rivers, a backyard pool carries a similar degree of drowning risk as powerboats and canoes. The water-related death rate for Canadian backyard pools is 3.6 deaths per year per 100,000 pools, on average for 1997–2001; compared to 6 and 3 deaths per year per 100,000 boats for powerboats and canoes respectively.
- Across Canada, the largest decreases in the annual number of provincial drownings occurred in New Brunswick, Quebec and the northern territories, with decreases of 35%, 26% and 49% respectively in the last five years.
hat were they doing ?
- The majority of drownings occur while victims have been engaged in recreational activities (63%), followed by daily living activities (22%), and occupational activities (6%).
- More drownings occur while swimming, sport fishing, and powerboating than during any other recreational activities. There is an encouraging trend toward fewer fatalities for each of these three activities from 1997–2001 compared to the previous 5 years (see chart #4). There is also a trend toward fewer drownings while playing in or near water, which often involve toddler victims. Walking near water (or on-ice) is the recreational activity that bucks the overall trend, with +32% more drownings in 1997-2001 than the previous five years. Most of these deaths occurred when the victim was alone (70%). Close to half of near-water fatalities occurred on rivers (49%) and involved alcohol (42%).
- Boating accounts for 33% of water-related fatalities. Most often, boating victims drowned while operating a small powerboat. There has been a 14% change increase in fatalities involving personal watercraft (PWC) during 1997-2001. Although the total number of PWC fatalities is still low, the water-related death rate for PWCs (10 deaths per year per 100,000 boats) is higher than the death rate for powerboats (6) or canoes (3). The number of fatalities involving non-powered inflatable craft has also increased sharply (+37% during 1997-2001 versus the previous five years), with an all-time high of 9 deaths involving inflatables in 2001, the most recent year measured. Most of the victims in these incidents were adults 18 to 34 years of age.
- In-water activities such as swimming, playing and wading account for 29% of all water-related fatalities.
- Near water activities account for another one-third (34%) of water-related deaths, including transportation incidents other than boating (15%; usually involving motor vehicles going off roads, bridges, or through ice), and other non-aquatic activities (18%) such as walking near water.
he risk factors
1. Not wearing a lifejacket or PFD is the number one problem contributing to recreational boating drownings
- Most boating victims were not wearing a PFD (84% of all boating victims for whom PFD information was available). Victim was usually not wearing a PFD in recreational powerboating (82%), sport fishing (85%), and canoeing (88%) incidents; which usually involved capsizing, swamping, or falling overboard.
- PFD not even present in one-quarter of total boating (29%), recreational powerboating (26%) and sport fishing (29%) deaths, and almost half (42%) of canoeing fatalities.
2. Drinking alcoholic beverages continues to be a major problem with boaters and snowmobilers
- Alcoholic beverage consumption involved in 44% of preventable water-related deaths involving victims 18 to 49 years of age. Some progress made, as there were 24% fewer drownings involving alcohol consumption in the past five years compared to the previous five years.
- Alcoholic beverages involved in one-third (37%) of all boating deaths, 42% of recreational powerboating deaths, and half of canoeing (47%) and recreational snowmobiling (54%) drownings.
3. Lack of supervision of young children
- Young victims under 5 years of age were usually alone (65%) and playing near water (61%) when they fell into a backyard pool (29%), lake (17%), river (12%), or bathtub (15%) and drowned.
4. Rough water
- Rough water/waves cited in 27% of boating fatalities; capsizing or
swamping involved in half of boating deaths.
5. Cold water
- 27% of all drownings known to involve water 10 degrees Celsius or colder.
- Hypothermia cited as a cause of death by Coroners and Medical Examiners in 11% of deaths.
6. Snowmobiling on ice after dark
- Half (55%) of snowmobiling drownings occurred after dark.
Source :
Life saving society
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