摘要：Objective . We examined circumstances surrounding swimming pool drownings among US residents aged 5 to 24 years to understand why Black males and other racial/ethnic groups have high drowning rates. Methods . We obtained data about drowning deaths in the United States (1995–1998) from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and newspaper clippings collected by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Results . During the study period, 678 US residents aged 5 to 24 years drowned in pools. Seventy-five percent were male, 47% were Black, 33% were White, and 12% were Hispanic. Drowning rates were highest among Black males, and this increased risk persisted after we controlled for income. The majority of Black victims (51%) drowned in public pools, the majority of White victims (55%) drowned in residential pools, and the majority of Hispanic victims (35%) drowned in neighborhood pools (e.g., an apartment complex pool). Foreign-born males also had an increased risk for drowning compared with American-born males. Conclusions . Targeted interventions are needed to reduce the incidence of swimming pool drownings across racial/ethnic groups, particularly adult supervision at public pools. Drowning is a leading cause of death among US youths. In 2002, 1158 youths younger than 20 years died as a result of an unintentional non–boat-related drowning. 1 Additionally, more than 300 youths aged 20 to 24 years drowned that year. 1 Children aged 1 to 4 years and males aged 15 to 24 years have the highest risk for drowning. Among males aged 10 to 19 years, Black males have much higher rates of drowning compared with White males. 2 – 4 Previous research has shown that the circumstances surrounding drowning events vary with regard to victim characteristics. Children aged 1 to 4 years are most likely to drown in swimming pools, whereas older children and adolescents are most likely to drown in natural freshwater sites. 5 Our earlier research found that among Black males aged 5 to 19 years, 37.2% of drowning deaths with known location of drowning were in swimming pools, while only 10% of similar drownings among White males occurred in pools. 5 Although rates are higher among Black youths, studies have not adjusted for income or provided details about drowning circumstances, such as where drownings occur. All drowning deaths are potentially preventable, and pool drownings among older children are especially so because pools lack the intrinsic risks associated with natural bodies of water (e.g., currents, riptides, and poor visibility), and lifeguards and early rescue are accepted prevention strategies. We examined the circumstances surrounding swimming pool drownings among US residents aged 5 to 24 years to elucidate factors that place some racial/ethnic groups at higher risk than other groups and to provide guidance for developing prevention strategies. Although the goal of our study was to investigate the differences in drowning circumstances between Black and White males, we suspected that there were differences among other groups as well. Therefore, we examined rates and circumstances of swimming pool drownings among other racial/ethnic groups and foreign-born versus American-born youths. Finally, we examined the joint effects of race/ethnicity and income to determine whether they are independently associated with risk for drowning.
