Duke Charlotte, Calverley Hannah, Petrass Lauren, Peters Jacqui, Moncrieff Kate, Konjarski Loretta, Matthews Bernadette
Life Saving Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
Institute of Education, Arts and Community, Federation University, Ballarat, Australia.
Inj Epidemiol. 2023 Aug 8;10(1):42. doi: 10.1186/s40621-023-00447-4.
Globally, drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury and death among children. Teaching aquatic competencies (swimming skills and water safety knowledge) to children has been proposed as a prevention strategy. In Australia, however, many children are not meeting standard aquatic competency benchmarks. Exploration of the connection between demographic and background factors and aquatic competencies could provide insight into why differences in acquisition of aquatic knowledge and skills occur.
A systematic literature review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses was performed to identify studies that reported on the association between demographic and background factors and aquatic competencies. Nine databases were searched for English language peer-reviewed studies published since 2000. Fourteen studies fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Studies were quasi-experimental or cross-sectional in design, which is considered quality level III-2 or IV, respectively, on the National Health and Medical Research Council Evidence Hierarchy. Study quality was moderate, and risk of bias was high. While aquatic competencies can be taught, this review found that factors including age, gender, geographic residence, medical conditions/disabilities, socioeconomic status, and swimming frequency were significantly associated with the demonstration and/or acquisition of aquatic competencies.
This review provides insight into demographic and background factors that are significantly associated with the development of aquatic competence. Whilst further investigation is required to increase the evidence base, these findings may assist in tailoring swimming and water safety programs to accommodate those at-risk of not achieving age-appropriate aquatic competencies.
在全球范围内，溺水是儿童意外受伤和死亡的主要原因。向儿童传授水上技能（游泳技能和水上安全知识）已被提议作为一种预防策略。然而，在澳大利亚，许多儿童未达到标准的水上技能基准。探索人口统计学和背景因素与水上技能之间的联系，可以深入了解为何在获取水上知识和技能方面存在差异。
按照系统评价和荟萃分析的首选报告项目进行了一项系统文献综述，以确定报告人口统计学和背景因素与水上技能之间关联的研究。检索了九个数据库，查找自2000年以来发表的英文同行评审研究。十四项研究符合所有纳入标准。这些研究在设计上为准实验性或横断面研究，在国家卫生与医学研究委员会证据等级中分别被视为质量水平III-2或IV。研究质量中等，偏倚风险较高。虽然水上技能可以传授，但本综述发现，年龄、性别、地理居住区域、医疗状况/残疾、社会经济地位和游泳频率等因素与水上技能的展示和/或获得显著相关。
本综述深入探讨了与水上技能发展显著相关的人口统计学和背景因素。虽然需要进一步调查以增加证据基础，但这些发现可能有助于调整游泳和水上安全计划，以适应那些有无法达到适合年龄的水上技能风险的人群。
