The CDC indicated that decreased admittance to supervised swimming during the COVID-19 crisis might have amplified the possibility of drowning for many.(Image credit: kali9 via Getty Images)ShareShare by:
- Duplicate link
- X
Share this articleEngage in the discussionFollow usInclude us as a favored platform on GoogleNewsletterJoin our mailing list
Newly issued data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has disclosed that yearly fatalities in the U.S. due to drowning have escalated for the first time in decades.
From 2020 to 2022, over 4,500 individuals passed away annually from accidental drowning — a rise from around 4,000 deaths in 2019. The most substantial surge in deaths occurred within groups already at greater risk, such as kids under 4, older adults over 65 from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, and Black people spanning all age ranges.
Analyzing by age bracket, the foremost drowning rates were observed among children aged 1 to 4. Drowning stands as the primary cause of mortality in this specific demographic. Regarding race and ethnicity, the highest rates were evident within the Black, Native American, and Alaska Native populations.
You may like
-
Severe weather resulted in over $100 billion in damages by June — shattering US records
-
Is the rise in obesity in America stabilizing?
-
‘Health repercussions are being experienced in real-time’: How the Trump administration is crippling the CDC
The recent spike in fatalities could correlate with infrastructural disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis, researchers indicated in an online report on May 14. Specifically, they noted a reduction in access to lifeguards, swimming education, and supervised aquatic environments, as individuals spent more leisure time near or in the water.
“I have personally witnessed the effects of drowning: families having to bid farewell to their loved ones prematurely,” expressed Dr. Debra Houry, chief medical officer at the CDC, in a released statement. “Gaining insights into the obstacles individuals encounter in obtaining fundamental swimming and aquatic safety training can assist us in comprehending how to overcome these barriers, lower drowning rates, and preserve lives.”
To procure these recent figures, the research team scrutinized information from the National Vital Statistics System, which encompasses the most exhaustive record of deaths and their underlying causes in the U.S. For the updated report, CDC researchers juxtaposed the accidental drowning death rates documented in 2019, preceding the onset of the pandemic, with those registered in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
The researchers discovered that, in contrast to 2019, there was about a 28% surge in drowning deaths among children aged 1 to 4 during 2021 and 2022. Adults aged 65 and up exhibited the second-highest rate of drowning across all years, also encountering substantial upticks compared to 2019. For example, individuals aged 65 to 74 were 19% more susceptible to drowning in 2022 than in 2019, while those over 85 faced an almost 50% greater likelihood of drowning in 2021 compared to 2019.
Between 2019 and 2020, individuals aged 15 to 34 experienced the most significant increase in drowning deaths. Drawing from past data, the researchers presume that alcohol consumption may have influenced this surge, even though it wasn’t explicitly evaluated in the new study.
Drowning incidents involving Native American or Alaska Native people did not increase between 2020 and 2022; nevertheless, these individuals remained more vulnerable to drowning compared to any other racial or ethnic group, as highlighted in earlier CDC reports. Black people exhibited the second-highest drowning rates, with a 28% surge in 2021 relative to 2019.
You may like
-
Severe weather was the catalyst for damages worth over $100 billion by June — surpassing US records
-
Has the rate of obesity in America reached a stable point?
-
‘Health consequences are actively being noticed’: The way the Trump administration is dismantling the CDC
The CDC also evaluated people’s proficiency in swimming utilizing a national survey. According to the agency’s estimates, about 40 million adults in the U.S. lack swimming skills, stemming from 15.4% of survey participants reporting their inability to swim. Over half of the respondents disclosed they had never participated in a swimming tutorial.
RELATED STORIES
—Rates of maternal death in the US have doubled in the last 20 years
—’Excess deaths’ connected to COVID have declined drastically in America — what are the implications?
—Individuals who stay up late may experience earlier death due to an amplified tendency to consume alcohol and smoke, as indicated by research
The CDC indicated in the report that social and structural constraints continue to restrict individuals’ access to learning swimming and water safety. These access limitations mirror discrepancies in drowning rates, as more Black adults than white adults, for instance, report lacking swimming skills or having never engaged in swimming education. The CDC suggested that tackling these constraints could contribute to diminishing drowning rates.
Meanwhile, the agency proposed several approaches for safeguarding oneself and family against drowning, such as setting up four-sided pool barriers, ensuring constant supervision of kids near water, and wearing life vests while boating.
This piece is solely intended to supply information and shouldn’t be utilized as a substitute for medical guidance.
Do you sometimes question why certain people gain muscle mass easier compared to others or the reasons freckles emerge when exposed to sunlight? Forward your questions on the functions of the human body to [email protected] using “Health Desk Q” as the subject line; your question might be chosen for a response on our site!
TOPICSunited statesPandemic
Emily CookeSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer
Emily is a health journalist residing in London, in the UK. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Durham University and a master’s degree in clinical and therapeutic neuroscience at Oxford University. She’s been involved in science outreach, medical composition, and as a local journalist during her NCTJ journalism training with News Associates. Back in 2018, she was acknowledged as one of MHP Communications’ top 30 journalists under 30.
Read more
Severe weather resulted in over $100 billion in damages by June — surpassing US records
Has the rate of obesity in America reached a stable point?
‘Health consequences are actively being noticed’: The way the Trump administration is dismantling the CDC
From advancements in gene therapy to infectious disease outbreaks that can be avoided: Health-related trends set to define 2026
‘A mounting assault on water sources coming from many sides’: Experts caution that ‘day zero droughts’ could become a reality by 2030
‘The Big One’ might exceed the scale of COVID-19. Here is what epidemiologist Michael Osterholm suggests we should learn from prior global health crises.
Latest in Death
What’s the longest span a person has remained clinically expired — only to be resuscitated?