An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning
Aim: Snorkelling is a popular aquatic activity which may result in fatal and non-fatal drowning. However, little is known about the scale of injury, factors impacting risk and strategies for prevention. This review assesses the current literature on snorkelling-related drowning with the aim of asses...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Resuscitation Plus |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266652042100028X |
| _version_ | 1819295349248884736 |
|---|---|
| author | C.L. Dunne J. Madill A.E. Peden B. Valesco John Lippmann D. Szpilman A.C. Queiroga |
| author_facet | C.L. Dunne J. Madill A.E. Peden B. Valesco John Lippmann D. Szpilman A.C. Queiroga |
| author_sort | C.L. Dunne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aim: Snorkelling is a popular aquatic activity which may result in fatal and non-fatal drowning. However, little is known about the scale of injury, factors impacting risk and strategies for prevention. This review assesses the current literature on snorkelling-related drowning with the aim of assessing available data, improving safety recommendations and reducing the global mortality burden. Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature in English, Spanish and Portuguese language published between 1 January 1980 and 31 October 2020 was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL Complete, Embase, Medline (Ovid), PubMed, SafetyLit, SportDiscus and grey literature were searched to identify studies reporting the incidence of fatal and non-fatal snorkelling-related drowning, or associated risk factors, prevention strategies, treatments or casualty characteristics. Quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool. Results: Forty-three studies were included (26 reporting population data, 17 case series), of which 27 (62.8%) studies reported data from Australia. Incidence was reported as about 8% of total ocean-related drownings. Case series documented 144 fatalities over 17 years. Frequent casualty characteristics include male (82.6%), pre-existing heart disease (59.4%), tourists (73%) who were inexperienced (71.0%), and lack of a buddy system (89.6%). Two at-risk profiles identified were older adult tourists with pre-existing medical conditions and local, experienced spearfishers. Twenty-two expert recommendations were developed to improve the safety of snorkellers related to individuals, tourism companies, government agencies and diving organisations. Conclusion: Snorkelling-related drownings are not infrequent, and there are many opportunities to improve the safety of this activity based on available data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:40:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-20af2162fc5244099147c415d1100f48 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5204 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:40:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Resuscitation Plus |
| spelling | doaj.art-20af2162fc5244099147c415d1100f482022-12-21T17:14:49ZengElsevierResuscitation Plus2666-52042021-06-016100103An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowningC.L. Dunne0J. Madill1A.E. Peden2B. Valesco3John Lippmann4D. Szpilman5A.C. Queiroga6Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Medical Committee, Internatinoal Life Saving Federation, Belgium; International Drowning Researchers’ Alliance (IDRA), Idaho, United States; Corresponding author at: Department of Emergency Medicine, Foothills Medical Center, 1409 – 29 St NW, Calgary, AB T2N2T9, Canada.Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CanadaInternational Drowning Researchers’ Alliance (IDRA), Idaho, United States; School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaInternational Drowning Researchers’ Alliance (IDRA), Idaho, United States; Office of Public Health Preparedness, Maui District Health, Hawaii State Health Department, Wailuku, HI, United StatesAustralasian Diving Safety Foundation (ADSF), Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaMedical Committee, Internatinoal Life Saving Federation, Belgium; International Drowning Researchers’ Alliance (IDRA), Idaho, United States; Brazilian Lifesaving Society (SOBRASA), Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInternational Drowning Researchers’ Alliance (IDRA), Idaho, United States; EPI-Unit, Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, PortugalAim: Snorkelling is a popular aquatic activity which may result in fatal and non-fatal drowning. However, little is known about the scale of injury, factors impacting risk and strategies for prevention. This review assesses the current literature on snorkelling-related drowning with the aim of assessing available data, improving safety recommendations and reducing the global mortality burden. Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature in English, Spanish and Portuguese language published between 1 January 1980 and 31 October 2020 was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL Complete, Embase, Medline (Ovid), PubMed, SafetyLit, SportDiscus and grey literature were searched to identify studies reporting the incidence of fatal and non-fatal snorkelling-related drowning, or associated risk factors, prevention strategies, treatments or casualty characteristics. Quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool. Results: Forty-three studies were included (26 reporting population data, 17 case series), of which 27 (62.8%) studies reported data from Australia. Incidence was reported as about 8% of total ocean-related drownings. Case series documented 144 fatalities over 17 years. Frequent casualty characteristics include male (82.6%), pre-existing heart disease (59.4%), tourists (73%) who were inexperienced (71.0%), and lack of a buddy system (89.6%). Two at-risk profiles identified were older adult tourists with pre-existing medical conditions and local, experienced spearfishers. Twenty-two expert recommendations were developed to improve the safety of snorkellers related to individuals, tourism companies, government agencies and diving organisations. Conclusion: Snorkelling-related drownings are not infrequent, and there are many opportunities to improve the safety of this activity based on available data.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266652042100028XDrowningDivingSnorkellingRisk factorsInjuryOcean |
| spellingShingle | C.L. Dunne J. Madill A.E. Peden B. Valesco John Lippmann D. Szpilman A.C. Queiroga An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning Resuscitation Plus Drowning Diving Snorkelling Risk factors Injury Ocean |
| title | An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning |
| title_full | An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning |
| title_fullStr | An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning |
| title_full_unstemmed | An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning |
| title_short | An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: A systematic review on the epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment of snorkelling-related drowning |
| title_sort | underappreciated cause of ocean related fatalities a systematic review on the epidemiology risk factors and treatment of snorkelling related drowning |
| topic | Drowning Diving Snorkelling Risk factors Injury Ocean |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266652042100028X |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cldunne anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT jmadill anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT aepeden anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT bvalesco anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT johnlippmann anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT dszpilman anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT acqueiroga anunderappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT cldunne underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT jmadill underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT aepeden underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT bvalesco underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT johnlippmann underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT dszpilman underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning AT acqueiroga underappreciatedcauseofoceanrelatedfatalitiesasystematicreviewontheepidemiologyriskfactorsandtreatmentofsnorkellingrelateddrowning |