Abedin A, Zane DF, Lawson KA, Johnson MB. Disparities in unintentional drowning fatalities in Texas, USA, 1999-2020.
Inj Prev 2024:ip-2024-045323. [PMID:
39002976 DOI:
10.1136/ip-2024-045323]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Drowning is the third-leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide. Although the USA as a whole bears a heavy burden, with approximately 4000 drowning fatalities annually, Texas stands out as a high-risk state for drowning due to its large population, suitable climate for year-round aquatic activities and availability of water-related recreational opportunities.
METHODS
Using mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research online database, this retrospective, cross-sectional study overviews the magnitude and patterns of fatal unintentional drownings among Texans from 1999 to 2020.
RESULTS
Over the 22-year period, 7737 Texans died from unintentional drowning. An average of 352 drowning deaths occurred annually, with a rate of 1.4 deaths per 100 000 population. The highest proportion of unintentional drownings occurred in natural water settings (eg, lakes, ponds or rivers), accounting for 40% of fatal drownings. Children aged 1-4 years had the highest drowning death rate compared with all other age groups. Male Texans had a drowning death rate three times higher than that of female Texans. Black Texans had a higher drowning death rate than White Texans and Asian or Pacific Islander Texans.
CONCLUSIONS
Drowning remains a significant public health issue in Texas. Data on high-risk groups and settings should be used to strengthen drowning prevention efforts and policy initiatives and encourage more research to address the multifaceted factors contributing to drowning.
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