TABLE OF CONTENTS:
UNDERSTANDING THE FRAMEWORK
CA-WSS PRIORITIES
PRIORITY 1: PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE
PRIORITY 2: DATA
PRIORITY 3: EVERYONE A SWIMMER
PRIORITY 4: SAFE AT ALL AGES
PRIORITY 5: POOLS
PRIORITY 6: OPEN WATER
PRIORITY 7 LIFEGUARDS
PRIORITY 8: WATER EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
WATER SAFETY STRATEGY
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE
Data and Context
An important step in understanding the drowning issue in California is understanding the available data related to the burden of the problem, these are the statistics that tell us about the who, what, when, why and where of fatal and non- fatal events. However, data alone does not provide the entire picture - understanding the issue also means understanding the context and environment of the drowning events represented in the numbers. This section introduces a few important concepts for understanding drowning data and the wider context, including exposure and access, followed by a high level data snapshot of the fatal and non-fatal drowning burden in California.
Understanding the definition of drowning
The internationally accepted definition of drowning is: “The process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid.” (1) There are three outcomes for a person who experiences drowning: death, survival with morbidity, or survival with no morbidity. (1) Terms such as “near-drowning,” “secondary drowning,” and “wet/dry drowning” are no longer used.
Understanding counts versus rates
When analyzing drowning data, it is important to differentiate between counts and rates. Both measures are useful, but each serves a distinct purpose. Counts represent the number of drowning events that occur within a given time frame, geographic location, and/or subgroup. Counts are useful for understanding the scope of the problem, communication about the burden, and for determining the required capacity and scale of services or programs.
Rates take into account the size of the population at risk. Rates are especially useful for making comparisons between groups or locations and identifying high-risk populations to guide prevention efforts. Comparing counts alone may be misleading because larger populations are more likely to have higher drowning counts simply due to their size. By using rates, we can compare the drowning burden across populations that vary in size, allowing us to identify groups that are disproportionately affected by drowning.
This data snapshot provided in this section includes both rates and counts, be sure to look at both.
Understanding exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of time that individuals spend in or around water, which varies depending on age, location, and activity. For example, children may have more exposure to swimming pools during the summer months, while adults may have more exposure to open bodies of water during recreational activities. Reliable information on exposure is often missing, but even anecdotal understanding (e.g., increased visitors to a remote waterfall) can provide context that informs the development of tailored prevention strategies.
Understanding access
Not all communities have equal access to the resources, programs, and services that aim to reduce drowning risk such as swimming lessons, pools and aquatic facilities, lifeguarded areas, and other water safety educational materials. Some communities face greater barriers to accessing and participating in water-related activities due to factors such as socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity stemming from historical exclusion (e.g., segregation), geographic location, and disability.
Equity is a core value presented later in this strategy’s framework (Page 17). However, part of understanding the issue is recognizing that social, economic, and systemic factors contribute to disparities in access to services or programs, and ultimately result in some communities and populations being disproportionately affected by drowning.