Peterson Cora, Ayangunna Elizabeth, Moreland Briana, Ballesteros Michael F, Florence Curtis, Clemens Tessa
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
CDC Foundation Inc, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Inj Prev. 2025 Jun 2. doi: 10.1136/ip-2024-045597.
Drowning causes more than 4500 deaths annually and is the leading cause of death among children aged 1-4 years old in the USA. Isolation pool fencing (ie, four-sided fencing to limit access from all adjoining areas including residences and yards) and use of US Coast Guard-approved life jackets while boating can prevent drowning, but preventable deaths still occur. This study aimed to estimate the annual health and economic burden of drowning likely attributable to inadequate pool fencing and not wearing life jackets while boating to highlight the unrealised value of these known prevention strategies.
A simple mathematical model used the most recent annual number of drowning deaths by decedent age in combination with previous study data to estimate the number of drowning deaths that might have been prevented through: (1) adequate isolation fencing for swimming pools among children aged <5 years old and (2) use of life jackets while boating for people of all ages. Prevention effectiveness estimates of pool fencing and life jackets were based on previous studies. Unit costs for drowning-related medical spending and avoidable mortality using the value of statistical life were from existing sources.
Proper use of swimming pool isolation fencing and always wearing a life jacket while boating could prevent an estimated 348 US drowning deaths and an economic cost of US$4.5 billion per year.
Highlighting the effectiveness of drowning prevention strategies can help inform public attention to this issue and support cost-effective public health decision-making.
溺水每年导致超过4500人死亡，是美国1至4岁儿童的主要死因。隔离泳池围栏（即四面围栏，限制包括住宅和庭院在内的所有相邻区域的进入）以及在划船时使用美国海岸警卫队批准的救生衣可预防溺水，但仍有可预防的死亡发生。本研究旨在估计可能归因于泳池围栏不足和划船时未穿救生衣的溺水的年度健康和经济负担，以突出这些已知预防策略未实现的价值。
一个简单的数学模型使用了按死者年龄划分的最新年度溺水死亡人数，并结合先前的研究数据，以估计可能通过以下方式预防的溺水死亡人数：（1）为5岁以下儿童的游泳池设置足够的隔离围栏，以及（2）所有年龄段的人在划船时使用救生衣。泳池围栏和救生衣的预防效果估计基于先前的研究。与溺水相关的医疗支出和使用统计生命价值的可避免死亡率的单位成本来自现有来源。
正确使用游泳池隔离围栏并在划船时始终穿着救生衣，估计每年可预防348例美国溺水死亡，并节省45亿美元的经济成本。
强调溺水预防策略的有效性有助于引起公众对这一问题的关注，并支持具有成本效益的公共卫生决策。
