Drowning Interventions, Miscellaneous

Background

The dangers of drowning reflect the culture and setting in which the event occurs. Young children are at high risk for drowning when they live anplay around water whether it is pools, water storage such as wells, cisterns, water barrels or courtyard pools. Celis, 1997.

We fpund one study, which illustrates how an intervention intended to improve agricultural yield and great health resulted in reduction in drownings in the 0-4 year old age group.


Review of miscellaneous intervention studies:
 

Author

Myaux, 1997

Study design and target population

Ecological time trend; children ages 0-4 years in rural Bangladesh, 1983-86, baseline vs. 1989-92.

Intervention

Flood control embankments with irrigation and drainage components.

Outcomes

Accidental drowning, mortality rates from infectious diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, acute respiratory disease, and malnutrition.

Results

Accidental drowning rates lower in flood protected area compared to outside (1.2 vs 2.2 per 1000 live births (p,.01); children 1-4 years.

Overall mortality rates lower in protected area.

Study quality and conclusions

Acute mortality data from demographic surveillance system.

Flood control programs cause adverse environmental effects, but reduce mortality in young children.

Summary of miscellaneous interventions

A Cochrane review is currently underway entitled "Interventions for the prevention of drowning" which will include studies of measures to physically separate people from water and engineering modifications to aide exit from areas of water. Proper fencinf is one ffective method to reduce drowning as demonstrated by studies from Australia and New Zealand. Inexpensive ways to fence home cisterns should be considered in countries where this exposure is a problem. Pless, 1997. Implementation of injury prevention measure require modification to fit the unique cultural aspects of health care and communication in some ethnic groups. In the US American Indian/Alaskan Native communities programs adapted to consider cultural values and tribal government sovereignty have proved successful. Committee on Native American Child Health, 1999.