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Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice Jun 2022Drowning and submersion injuries are highly prevalent, yet preventable, causes of pediatric mortality and morbidity. Prehospital care should focus on restoring normal... (Review)
Review
Drowning and submersion injuries are highly prevalent, yet preventable, causes of pediatric mortality and morbidity. Prehospital care should focus on restoring normal ventilation and circulation as quickly as possible to limit the extent of hypoxic insult. Diagnostic testing for symptomatic patients may include blood glucose level, arterial blood gas level, complete blood count, electrolyte levels, chest radiography, and cardiorespiratory monitoring with pulse oximetry and a rhythm strip. In this review, passive external, active external, and active internal rewarming techniques for treatment of hypothermic patients are discussed. A systematic approach to treatment and disposition of pediatric drowning victims is provided, and risk factors, caveats in pediatric care, and factors affecting prognosis are also discussed.
Topics: Child; Drowning; Emergency Medical Services; Humans; Immersion; Near Drowning; Resuscitation
PubMed: 35737684
DOI: No ID Found -
Pediatrics Aug 2021Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death in children. In 2018, almost 900 US children younger than 20 years died of drowning. A number of strategies are...
Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death in children. In 2018, almost 900 US children younger than 20 years died of drowning. A number of strategies are available to prevent these tragedies. As educators and advocates, pediatricians can play an important role in prevention of drowning.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Drowning; Humans; Infant
PubMed: 34253571
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-052227 -
Legal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan) Feb 2022We reviewed data on washing machine-related deaths between 2008 and 2020 in South Korea to analyze the case characteristics, manners of death, and causes of death.... (Review)
Review
We reviewed data on washing machine-related deaths between 2008 and 2020 in South Korea to analyze the case characteristics, manners of death, and causes of death. Washing machine-related deaths are very rare, and only 23 incidents were identified over the study period. Of these cases, 19 (82.6%) were related to general pulsator-type top load washing machines; the other 4 (17.4%) were related to front-load washing machines. The pulsator-type top load washing machine-related deaths occurred in people aged between 40 and 93 years (mean age, 68 years), including 9 men (47.4%) and 10 women (52.6%). The manners of death among the incidents were suicide in 12 cases (63.2%), accident in 6 cases (31.6%), and unknown in 1 case (5.3%). A Medline search of the English literature currently does not yield results for washing machine-related suicidal deaths in adults. Of the 12 suicide cases, 4 were autopsied; suicidal death was determined by postmortem investigation or based on suicide notes. Washing machine-related suicidal deaths are presumed to have characteristics similar to those of bathtub suicidal deaths. The front-load washing machine-related deaths involved boys aged between 6 and 8 years, and all cases were concluded as accidents. The cause of death was hypoxia resulting from the children being accidentally trapped inside the washing machine while playing. Greater attention to vulnerable groups, especially children and older adults, is required to reduce the rate of washing machine-related accidental or suicidal deaths.
Topics: Accidents; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cause of Death; Child; Female; Household Articles; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Republic of Korea; Suicide
PubMed: 34808563
DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2021.101994 -
Journal of the American College of... May 2021
Topics: Drowning; Electronic Mail; Humans
PubMed: 33197409
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.10.009 -
Injury Prevention : Journal of the... Apr 2022Drowning and climate change are both significant global health threats, yet little research links climate change to drowning risk. Research into the epidemiology, risk... (Review)
Review
Drowning and climate change are both significant global health threats, yet little research links climate change to drowning risk. Research into the epidemiology, risk factors and preventive strategies for unintentional drowning in high-income and in low-income and middle-income countries has expanded understanding, but understanding of disaster and extreme weather-related drowning needs research focus. As nation states and researchers call for action on climate change, its impact on drowning has been largely ignored. This state-of-the-art review considers existing literature on climate change as a contributor to changes in drowning risks globally. Using selected climate change-related risks identified by the World Meteorological Organization and key risks to the Sustainable Development Goals as a framework, we consider the drowning risks associated with heat waves, hydrometeorological hazards, drought and water scarcity, damaged infrastructure, marine ecosystem collapse, displacement, and rising poverty and inequality. Although the degree of atmospheric warming remains uncertain, the impact of climate change on drowning risk is already taking place and can no longer be ignored. Greater evidence characterising the links between drowning and climate change across both high-income and low-income and middle-income contexts is required, and the implementation and evaluation of drowning interventions must reflect climate change risks at a local level, accounting for both geographical variation and the consequences of inequality. Furthermore, collaboration between the injury prevention, disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation sectors is crucial to both prevent climate change from stalling progress on preventing drowning and further advocate for climate change mitigation as a drowning risk reduction mechanism.
Topics: Climate Change; Disasters; Drowning; Ecosystem; Humans; Sustainable Development
PubMed: 35197275
DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2021-044486 -
Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi Feb 2022Drowning is the death caused by asphyxiation due to fluid blocking the airway. In the practice of forensic medicine, it is the key to determine whether the corpse was... (Review)
Review
Drowning is the death caused by asphyxiation due to fluid blocking the airway. In the practice of forensic medicine, it is the key to determine whether the corpse was drowned or entered the water after death. At the same time, the drowning site inference and postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) play an important role in the investigating the identity of the deceased, narrowing the investigation scope, and solving the case. Based on diatoms testing, molecular biology, imaging and artificial intelligence and other technologies, domestic and foreign forensic scientists have done relative research in the identification of the cause of death, drowning site inference and PMSI, and achieved certain results in forensic medicine application. In order to provide a reference for future study of bodies in the water, this paper summarizes the above research contents.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; Diatoms; Drowning; Forensic Pathology; Humans; Lung; Water
PubMed: 35725698
DOI: 10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.410625 -
Suicide & Life-threatening Behavior Jun 2021We expand upon previous research examining the prevalence of exposure to suicide deaths by comparing these to natural and accidental deaths. Furthermore, we examine...
OBJECTIVE
We expand upon previous research examining the prevalence of exposure to suicide deaths by comparing these to natural and accidental deaths. Furthermore, we examine whether participants are more apt to lie about the cause of death for a suicide than for an accidental or natural death.
METHOD
The sample consisted of 1,430 respondents who were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk to complete an online study. Participants completed measures to assess exposure to death, causes of death, and willingness to disclose the cause of death to others.
RESULTS
Nearly all respondents (94.5%) had been exposed to a natural death, and most of our sample (63.2%) reported exposure to a suicide death. Among those affected by all three causes of death, RANOVA analysis also indicated that people lied about cause of suicide death to significantly more people than accidental or natural.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the current study presents updated prevalence rates of exposure to various types of death and replicates previous findings of a decrease in willingness to disclose suicides when compared with other causes of death.
Topics: Accidents; Cause of Death; Humans; Suicide
PubMed: 33521991
DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12737 -
Environment International Oct 2023Future warming is projected to increase the heat-related mortality burden, especially for vulnerable populations. However, most previous studies focused on...
BACKGROUND
Future warming is projected to increase the heat-related mortality burden, especially for vulnerable populations. However, most previous studies focused on non-accidental morbidity or mortality, with far less research on heat-related accidental events.
METHODS
We collected individual accidental death records among all residents in Chinese mainland from June to August during 2013-2019. Accidental deaths were further divided into several subtypes by different causes. We used an individual-level, time-stratified, case-crossover study design to estimate the association between daily mean temperature and accidental deaths, and estimate its variation in seven geo-climatic zones, age (5-64, 65-74, ≥75), and sex (male, female). We then estimated the temperature-related excess accidental deaths under global warming scenarios of 1.5, 2, and 3℃.
FINDINGS
A total of 711,929 accidental death records were included in our study. We found that higher temperatures were associated with increased risks of deaths from the total accidental events and four main subtypes, including traffic, falls, drowning, and unintentional injuries. We also found that younger individuals (ages 5-64) and males faced a higher risk of heat-related mortality due to total accidents, traffic incidents, and drowning. For future climate scenarios, even under the 1.5℃ climate change scenario, 6,939 (95% eCI (empirical Confidence Interval): 6,818-7,067) excess accidental deaths per year are attributed to higher summertime daily temperature over mainland China, and the number of accidental deaths would increase by 16.71% and 33.59% under the 2℃ and 3℃ climate change scenarios, respectively. For residents living in southern coastal and northwest inland regions, the projected increase in accidental death is higher.
CONCLUSIONS
This nationwide study confirms that higher summer temperatures are linked to an increased risk of accidental deaths. Younger age groups and males face a higher risk. This indicates that current estimates of the health effects of climate change might be underestimated, particularly for younger populations.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; China; Climate Change; Cross-Over Studies; Drowning; Hot Temperature; Temperature; Child, Preschool; Child; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Aged
PubMed: 37778287
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108231 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022The main purpose of this study was to investigate children's swimming competence in primary schools of districts in Vojvodina, Serbia.
INTRODUCTION
The main purpose of this study was to investigate children's swimming competence in primary schools of districts in Vojvodina, Serbia.
METHODS
Included subjects were primary school students from first to eighth grade ( = 2,778; male = 1,454, female = 1,324; age = 10.73 ± 2.1 years). We used Swimming Competence Questionnaire to acquire and analyze their swimming experience, non-fatal aquatic events, and demographics. For the statistical analysis, logistic regression and hierarchical multiple regression were used to evaluate if the factors and SC and NFAE were associated. The analyses were carried out by using SPSS® software version 24.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA).
RESULTS
Families with more income and education generally have children with more swimming competence, experience, knowledge, and skills related to water safety. First step in analysis revealed that gender (β = 0.05, < 0.01), education level (β = 0.06, < 0.01) age (β = 0.171, < 0.01), and family income (β = 0.04, < 0.01) were significant swimming competence (SC) predictors (R2 = 0.04). Age (OR = 1.15, < 0.01) was the only significant predictor in Step 1 predicting non-fatal aquatic events (NFAE). In Step 2, variables associated with SC were swimming location (ΔR2 = 0.06, < 0.01), swimming experience (ΔR2 = 0.16, < 0.01), swimming accessibility (ΔR2 = 0.05, < 0.01), and learning experience (ΔR2 = 0.03, < 0.01) (total R2 = 0.26 to 0.47, < 0.01). Only a minority of participants reported that they could not swim further than 5 meters using general stroke (37.15%).
CONCLUSION
National education trainers programs must be prioritized with the primary strategy of transferring knowledge to swimming and water safety. Families with lower income must be included without exceptions. This is perhaps a key factor in preventing NFAE, increasing SC, and increasing water safety.
Topics: Child; Drowning; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Male; Surveys and Questionnaires; Swimming; Water
PubMed: 35937234
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.961342 -
Perspectives in Public Health Jan 2023Drowning deaths are a leading cause of unintentional deaths worldwide. Few studies have analysed the role of meteorology in drowning, and with inconclusive results. The... (Review)
Review
AIMS
Drowning deaths are a leading cause of unintentional deaths worldwide. Few studies have analysed the role of meteorology in drowning, and with inconclusive results. The aim of this work is to analyse the temporal and geographical distribution of deaths by accidental drowning and submersion in Spain over 20 years, and to assess the relationship between accidental drowning and main atmospheric circulation patterns.
METHODS
An ecological study was performed, in which drowning and submersion mortality data from 1999 to 2018, considering demographic variables, were analysed. To study the association with atmospheric circulation we used an ERA5 reanalysis product over the whole European continent and the Climatic Research Unit Time Series (CRU TS) data set.
RESULTS
The annual average rate of deaths by accidental drownings was 11.86 deaths per million of habitants in Spain. The incidence in males was four times higher than in females, and when comparing age groups, the rate in the eldest group was the highest. Unintentional drowning deaths were not equally distributed around the country; the provinces with the highest registered standardized drowning death rates were touristic waterfront provinces either in Eastern Spain or in one of the archipelagos. There was a significant relationship between accidental drowning and meteorological variables during summer months, and drowning deaths were spatially correlated with sea-level pressure over the Mediterranean basin.
CONCLUSION
Although the mortality rate registered a statistically significant decreasing tendency over the studied period, our results must be taken into consideration to improve the prevention strategies in the country since most of these deaths are avoidable.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Infant; Drowning; Spain; Cause of Death; Incidence
PubMed: 34284665
DOI: 10.1177/17579139211007181