Patterns of unintentional fatal drowning among children in North Tunisia : A 10-year study

Abstract

This study aims to better understand patterns of unintentional fatal drowning among children in North Tunisia. A cross-sectional retrospective study including all unintentional fatal drowning among children was conducted in the Legal and Forensic Medicine department in the Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, between January 2010 and December 2019. Socio-demographic variables, as well as death circumstances, were documented for each victim and analyzed. A total of 200 casualties were included in this study. The highest rate of deaths was observed in the summer (N=44). Most of the victims were males and 55.5% were aged between 13 and 18 years. The drowning occurred in a canal or the sea in 33.5 % and 29.5 % of the cases respectively. The distribution of drowning sites varied significantly by season and place of living: drowning in the sea was more likely to occur in the summer and in urban areas (p < 0.05). In the first years of life, drowning occurred mostly in buckets and wells (N=9 and N=10, respectively) while between 7 and 18 years, it was more frequent in a canal or the sea. Swimming was the leading activity before death in 50% of the cases. Unintentional fatal drowning among children remains an underestimated major health problem in Tunisia especially in the population aged from 7 to 18 years. Effective prevention measures should be implemented nationwide, especially around seas and canals.