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Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi Feb 2022To explore the research hotspots and development trends of the field of forensic drowning from 1991 to 2020 by bibliometrics methods.
OBJECTIVES
To explore the research hotspots and development trends of the field of forensic drowning from 1991 to 2020 by bibliometrics methods.
METHODS
Based on Web of Science, CNKI database, Wanfang Data knowledge service platform, python 3.9.2, CiteSpace 5.8.R3, Gephi 0.9.2, etc. were used to analyze the publishing trends, countries/regions, institutions, authors and topics of the study on drowning.
RESULTS
A total of 631 English literature were obtained, including 59 articles from Chinese authors, and 386 Chinese literature were obtained. The Chinese and English journals with the largest number of related literatures were (80 articles) and (106 articles), respectively. Japan published the most articles in English, and China ranked third. Osaka City Univ (Japan, 28 articles) published the most English articles, and Guangzhou Forens Sci Inst (China, 22 articles) ranked second. Among Chinese literature, Guangzhou Forens Sci Inst (32 articles) published the most. The topic analysis of Chinese and English literature showed that diatom examination, virtual autopsy, postmortem biochemical examination, the nature of death, and postmortem submersion interval were the hot spots of current research, but English literature had more studies on new technologies and methods, while Chinese literature was more inclined to practice, application and experience summary.
CONCLUSIONS
The number of literature in forensic medicine on drowning is relatively stable. The scope of international and domestic collaborations in this field is still limited. The automated examination of diatoms, the establishment of diatom DNA barcodes and virtual autopsy will be the most important research hotspots in the coming period and are expected to achieve breakthroughs in drowning diagnosis, drowning location inference, postmortem submersion interval estimation, etc.
Topics: Bibliometrics; China; Drowning; Forensic Medicine; Humans; Publications
PubMed: 35725712
DOI: 10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.411209 -
Journal of Health, Population, and... Dec 2014Drowning is the commonest cause of injury-related deaths among under-five children worldwide, and 95% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where... (Review)
Review
Drowning is the commonest cause of injury-related deaths among under-five children worldwide, and 95% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where there are implementation gaps in the drowning prevention interventions. This article reviews common interventions for drowning prevention, introduces a framework for effective implementation of such interventions, and describes the Saving of Lives from Drowning (SoLiD) Project in Bangladesh, which is based on this framework. A review of the systematic reviews on drowning interventions was conducted, and original research articles were pulled and summarized into broad prevention categories. The implementation framework builds upon two existing frameworks and categorizes the implementing process for drowning prevention interventions into four phases: planning, engaging, executing, and evaluating. Eleven key characteristics are mapped in these phases. The framework was applied to drowning prevention projects that have been undertaken in some LMICs to illustrate major challenges to implementation. The implementation process for the SoLiD Project in Bangladesh is used as an example to illustrate the practical utilization of the framework. Drowning interventions, such as pool fencing and covering of water hazards, are effective in high-income countries; however, most of these interventions have not been tested in LMICs. The critical components of the four phases of implementing drowning prevention interventions may include: (i) planning-global funding, political will, scale, sustainability, and capacity building; (ii) engaging-coordination, involvement of appropriate individuals; (iii) executing-focused action, multisectoral actions, quality of execution; and (iv) evaluating-rigorous monitoring and evaluation. Some of the challenges to implementing drowning prevention interventions in LMICs include insufficient funds, lack of technical capacity, and limited coordination among stakeholders and implementers. The SoLiD Project in Bangladesh incorporates some of these lessons and key features of the proposed framework. The framework presented in this paper was a useful tool for implementing drowning prevention interventions in Bangladesh and may be useful for adaptation in drowning and injury prevention programmes of other LMIC settings.
Topics: Adolescent; Bangladesh; Child; Child, Preschool; Developing Countries; Drowning; Health Plan Implementation; Humans; Infant; Poverty; Risk Factors
PubMed: 25895188
DOI: No ID Found -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Oct 2022: Aquaporins are a family of water channel proteins. In this study, the renal and intrapulmonary expression of aquaporin-5 (AQP5) was examined in forensic autopsy cases...
: Aquaporins are a family of water channel proteins. In this study, the renal and intrapulmonary expression of aquaporin-5 (AQP5) was examined in forensic autopsy cases to evaluate it as a drowning marker and to differentiate between freshwater drowning and saltwater drowning. : Cases were classified into three groups: freshwater drowning (FWD), saltwater drowning (SWD), and controls (CTR). Samples were obtained from forensic autopsies at less than 72 h postmortem (15 FWD cases, 15 SWD cases, and 17 other cases) and were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical investigations. : In FWD group, intrapulmonary AQP5 expression was significantly suppressed compared with SWD and CTR; there was no significant difference in AQP5 expression among the other two groups. The same differences in expression were also observed in the kidney. : These observations suggest that AQP5 expression in alveolar cells was suppressed by hypotonic water to prevent hemodilution. Moreover, it is possible to hypothesize that in the kidney, with the appearance of hypo-osmotic plasma, AQP5 is hypo-expressed, as a vital reaction, to regulate the renal reabsorption of water. In conclusion, the analysis of renal and intrapulmonary AQP5 expression would be forensically useful for differentiation between FWD and SWD, or between FWD and death due to other causes.
Topics: Humans; Aquaporin 5; Biomarkers; Drowning; Forensic Pathology; Fresh Water; Water
PubMed: 36295616
DOI: 10.3390/medicina58101458 -
Ulusal Travma Ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi =... Aug 2022Traffic accidents are among the most common causes of death. A small proportion of drownings are associated with traffic accidents. The roads in the Eastern Black Sea...
BACKGROUND
Traffic accidents are among the most common causes of death. A small proportion of drownings are associated with traffic accidents. The roads in the Eastern Black Sea Region, where the study was conducted are fairly close to the seas, rivers, and ponds. This study aims to evaluate the cases who underwent autopsies after the traffic accident between 2009 and 2016 and who were found to have died as a result of drowning.
METHODS
A retrospective examination was made of the autopsy reports in the period 2009-2016.
RESULTS
As a result of the examination of forensic reports, from a total of 7124 autopsies performed in our center between 2009 and 2016, 41 (0.57%) were seen to be due to death in a traffic accident that resulted in drowning. Of the vehicles involved in the ac-cidents, 30 (73.2%) were retrieved from a river/stream, 7 (17.1%) from a lake, and 4 (9.7%) from the sea. In all 39 cases, the primary cause of death was determined as asphyxia related to drowning. Other reasons affecting death were traumatic intracranial bleeding in 7 (17.1%) cases, medulla spinalis injury in 4 (9.7%), and pulmonary injury in 2 (4.9%).
CONCLUSION
It was determined in the study that the typical autopsy results of trauma and drowning after a traffic accident could coexist. Drowning alone could be the cause of death, even though there was a traumatic origin such as a traffic accident in such cases. It was revealed that chemical and microscopic examinations should be handled together with crime scene results and eyewitness statements in addition to traumatic results during the examination phase.
Topics: Accidents; Accidents, Traffic; Automobiles; Cause of Death; Drowning; Humans; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35920420
DOI: 10.14744/tjtes.2021.35915 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2021Drowning is a public-health threat and a leading cause of injury-related death. In Turkey, drowning results in 900 fatalities annually, and the rate is rising. As data...
Drowning is a public-health threat and a leading cause of injury-related death. In Turkey, drowning results in 900 fatalities annually, and the rate is rising. As data on rescue-related drowning are scarce, this retrospective study explores the epidemiology of fatal drowning among rescuers in Turkey. As there are no routinely collected death registry data on drowning in Turkey, data were sourced from media reports of incidents between 2015 and 2019. Rescuer fatalities were analysed by age, sex, activity prior to rescue, location, incident day of week and season, and place of death. Statistical analyses comprised X tests of significance ( < 0.05) and calculation of relative risk (95% confidence interval) using fatality rates. In total, 237 bystander rescuers drowned (90% male; 35% 15-24 years). In 33% of cases, the primary drowning victim (PDV) was successfully rescued, while in 46% of cases the rescue resulted in multiple drowning fatalities (mean = 2.29; range 1-5 rescuers). Rescues were more likely to be successful in saving the PDV if undertaken at the beach/sea (X = 29.147; < 0.001), while swimming (X = 12.504; = 0.001), or during summer (X = 8.223; = 0.029). Risk of bystander rescue-related fatal drowning was twice as high on weekdays compared to on weekends (RR = 2.04; 95%CI: 1.56-2.67). While bystanders play an important role in reducing drowning, undertaking a rescue is not without risk and can lead to multiple drowning incidents. Training in rescue and resuscitation skills (especially the prioritization of non-contact rescues) coupled with increasing awareness of drowning risk, are risk-reduction strategies which should be explored in Turkey.
Topics: Drowning; Female; Humans; Male; Rescue Work; Resuscitation; Retrospective Studies; Turkey
PubMed: 34205391
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126613 -
American Journal of Hematology May 2022
Topics: Fresh Water; Hematologic Tests; Hemolysis; Humans; Near Drowning
PubMed: 35253933
DOI: 10.1002/ajh.26514 -
Injury Prevention : Journal of the... Dec 2006To determine the beliefs, attitudes and practices regarding water safety among Vietnamese-Americans through focus group interviews.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the beliefs, attitudes and practices regarding water safety among Vietnamese-Americans through focus group interviews.
PARTICIPANTS
15 teenagers (aged 15-19 years) and 20 parents participated, and reported similar attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding water activities. Participants identified a lack of familiarity with water activities and few swimming skills, noting that these activities are not perceived as recreational sports among the Vietnamese. They reported recreating at open water sites because they are free and available, and attributed drowning to fate. Vietnamese youth swim unsupervised, responding to peer pressure despite lack of skills. Participants had negative attitudes toward life jackets using, swimming pools and lessons, because of the costs, but would attend lessons in Vietnamese. They identified schools and Vietnamese media as means of delivering injury-prevention messages.
CONCLUSIONS
Decreasing drowning among Vietnamese-Americans requires changing the knowledge, attitudes and safety practices with programs and messages in Vietnamese, as well as targeting the dominant culture.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Drowning; Female; Focus Groups; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parents; Swimming; Vietnam
PubMed: 17170196
DOI: 10.1136/ip.2006.011486 -
BMC Public Health May 2017Alcohol is a well-known risk factor in unintentional drownings. Whereas psychotropic drugs, like alcohol, may cause psychomotor impairment and affect cognition, no... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Alcohol is a well-known risk factor in unintentional drownings. Whereas psychotropic drugs, like alcohol, may cause psychomotor impairment and affect cognition, no detailed studies have focused on their association with drowning. Finland provides extensive post-mortem toxicological data for studies on drowning because of its high medico-legal autopsy rates.
METHODS
Drowning cases, 2000 through 2009, for which post-mortem toxicological analysis was performed, came from the database of the Toxicological Laboratory, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, using the ICD-10 nature-of-injury code T75.1. The data were narrowed to unintentional drowning, using the ICD-10 external-injury codes V90, V92, and W65-74. Each drowning case had its blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and concentrations of other drugs recorded. Evaluation of the contribution of psychotropic drugs to drowning was based on their blood concentration by means of a 6-grade scale.
RESULTS
Among victims ≥15 years old, unintentional drownings numbered 1697, of which, 303 (17.9%) were boating-related and 1394 (82.1%) non-boating-related. Among these, 65.0% of boating-related and 61.8% of non-boating-related victims were alcohol-positive (=BAC ≥ 50 mg/dL). The male-to-female ratio in alcohol-positive drownings was 7.3. At least one psychotropic drug appeared in 453 (26.7%) drowning cases, with some victims' bodies showing up to 7 different drugs. Overall 70 different psychotropic drugs were detectable, with 134 (7.9%) cases both alcohol-negative and psychotropic-drug-positive, of these, 59 (3.5%) were graded 4 to 6, indicating a possible to very probable contribution to drowning. Our findings suggest that psychotropic drugs may play a significant role in drowning, in up to 14.5% of cases, independently or in association with alcohol.
CONCLUSIONS
Psychotropic drugs alone or in association with alcohol may be an overlooked risk factor in drowning, due to their effects on psychomotor function and cognition. Future studies should also address other mechanisms-for instance drug-induced long-QT syndrome-by which drugs may contribute to drowning.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking; Autopsy; Drowning; Ethanol; Female; Finland; Forensic Medicine; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psychomotor Disorders; Psychomotor Performance; Psychotropic Drugs; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 28521790
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4306-8 -
Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi Feb 2022To study the phenomenon of pulmonary hypostasis in corpses of various causes of death, and to explore the potential value of this phenomenon in assisting forensic...
OBJECTIVES
To study the phenomenon of pulmonary hypostasis in corpses of various causes of death, and to explore the potential value of this phenomenon in assisting forensic pathological diagnosis of drowning.
METHODS
A total of 235 cases with clear cause of death through systematic autopsy were collected from January 2011 to June 2021 in Guangzhou. According to the location of body discovery, the cases were divided into the water body group (97 cases) and the nonwater body group (138 cases), and the water body group was further divided into the water drowning group (90 cases) and the water nondrowning group (7 cases). Non-water body group was further divided into the nonwater drowning group (1 case) and the nonwater nondrowning group (137 cases). Three senior forensic pathologists independently reviewed autopsy photos to determine whether there was hypostasis in the lungs. The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis was calculated.
RESULTS
The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis in the water drowning group (90 cases) was 0, and the negative rate was 100%. The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis in the water nondrowning group (7 cases) was 100% and the negative rate was 0. The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis in the water body group and in the nonwater body group (after excluding 2 cases, 136 cases were calculated) was 7.22% and 87.50%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis between water body group and nonwater body group, and between water drowning group and water nondrowning group (<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The disappearance of pulmonary hypostasis can be used as a specific cadaveric sign to assist in the forensic pathological diagnosis of drowning.
Topics: Autopsy; Drowning; Forensic Pathology; Humans; Lung; Water
PubMed: 35725707
DOI: 10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.410920 -
Revista Espanola de Salud Publica Nov 2021Drowning is a major problem of public health in Spain, with a high number of deaths. The main strategy to address it is prevention, going through knowledge and...
OBJECTIVE
Drowning is a major problem of public health in Spain, with a high number of deaths. The main strategy to address it is prevention, going through knowledge and education. The aim of this study was to analyze from a public health perspective a) the knowledge of young participants from 14 to 16 years old about drowning prevention, swimming skills and risks on the beach and b) to evaluate a pilot program with educational video for drowning prevention due to rip currents.
METHODS
For this purpose, a three-phase study was carried out: (1) application of a questionnaire to identify bath habits, risk perception in relation to rip currents and swimming level, (2) evaluation of a video for the identification of rip current risk and (3) evaluation of the assimilation of the visualized content one month after the intervention. 120 adolescents participated in this study during march, april and may, 2019. A descriptive analysis and comparisons with Chi-Square were performed in SPSS.
RESULTS
120 adolescents participated in this study during March, April and May, 2019. 96.7% knew how to swim, but 44.1% had a basic level. More than half of the participants did not know rip currents or did not identify them in swimming areas. The video achieves the assimilation of concepts related to rip currents and drowning prevention.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that adolescents have a lack of knowledge about rip currents and are not able to identify safe swimming areas. The use of health communication strategies based on the interests and profiles of young people have shown an improvement in the perception of risks at beaches on the sample studied.
Topics: Adolescent; Bathing Beaches; Drowning; Humans; Perception; Spain; Swimming
PubMed: 34728597
DOI: No ID Found