Life Jacket Use Research Articles

Research on the Prevalence of the Use of Life Jackets and Safety Jackets Among Amateur Kayakers in Poland

Abstract Safety is one of the main aspects related to physical activities conducted on or in the immediate vicinity of water. Many people drown every year in Poland. The use of a kayak has numerous legal aspects. In the light of Polish regulations, a kayak is a ship. Vessels used on inland waterways must comply with the technical requirements and requirements for life-saving equipment set out in specific regulations. One of them is the obligation to equip the ship with life jackets in the number corresponding to the number of passengers on the ship. With the proviso that to meet the requirement it is enough to equip the ship with life jackets, and not to use them, understood as putting a life jacket on a person staying on the ship. The study was aimed at determining the attitudes and behaviors of Polish kayakers in the field of kayak use, especially regarding safety and comfort, with particular emphasis on the life jacket as a popular means of increasing safety on the water. The study was conducted in the form of an original questionnaire placed in groups of kayakers on a popular social networking site. In total, all kayaking groups in which the survey was placed count nearly 15,000 participants. The survey was anonymous and voluntary, it did not collect data about respondents. The study involved 257 people, including 172 men (67%) and 85 women (33%). The participants of the study assess their kayaking skills as: intermediate 43.6%, advanced 38.9%, beginner 9.7%, expert 7.4%, one person declared the level of "instructor". 42% of respondents declare that they kayak several dozen days a year, 37.4% - several days a year, 15.6% - one to several days a year, 4.3% - several times a week, some people gave different answers . Most respondents (72.8%) have their own life jackets. 27.2% of respondents do not have such vests, which suggests that they rent them together with kayaks. Conclusions: There is lack of coherent and clear laws regulating the safety obligations of persons using kayaks as amateurs in Poland. Among the surveyed intermediate and advanced kayakers there is high level of awareness regarding the safety of using a kayak and measures to increase safety. Among interviewed kayakers there is significant popularity of life jackets in the absence of a legal regulation considering them as basic and sufficient safety measure when kayaking.

Disparities in Adolescent Reported Drowning Prevention Strategies

PurposeDescribe use of drowning prevention strategies among diverse adolescents. MethodsWe analyzed 47,051 responses to 2012–2018 Washington statewide surveys of 8th–12th grade students, regarding formal swimming lessons, comfort in deep water (a measure of perceived water competency), and life jacket use in small watercraft. Using survey-weighted Poisson regression, we measured these strategies in relation to race/ethnicity, primary language, maternal education, and urbanicity. Results78.6% of students spoke English at home. Most students reported having had formal swimming lessons (62.2%), being comfortable in deep water (65.8%), and wearing life jackets (58.5%). Students primarily speaking Spanish (11.2%) reported formal swimming lessons (PR: 0.72; 95%CI: 0.67–0.78) and perceived water competency (PR: 0.75; 95%CI: 0.70–0.80) less often than primarily English-speaking. All prevention strategies were associated with higher maternal education. DiscussionDrowning prevention strategies, access to swimming lessons, life jackets, and water competency should be promoted among low-income children and those whose primary language is not English.

Increased unintentional drowning deaths in 2020 by age, race/ethnicity, sex, and location, United States

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, one study in Australia showed an increase in drowning deaths in certain settings, while a study in China showed a decrease in drowning deaths. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drowning deaths in the United States is unknown. Objective: To report on unintentional drowning deaths among U.S. persons aged ≤29 years by demographic characteristics and compare 2020 fatal drowning rates with rates from 2010 to 2019. Methods: Data from CDC WONDER were analyzed to calculate unintentional drowning death rates among persons aged ≤29 years by age group, sex, race/ethnicity, and location of drowning. These rates were compared to drowning death rates for the previous 10 years (2010–2019). Results: In 2020, 1.26 per 100,000 persons aged ≤29 years died from unintentional drowning, a 16.79% increase from 2019. Drowning death rates decreased 1.81% per year on average (95% CI: −3.02%, −0.59%) from 2010 to 2019. The largest increases in unintentional drowning deaths from 2019 to 2020 occurred among young adults aged 20 to 24 years (44.12%), Black or African American persons (23.73%), and males (19.55%). The location with the largest increase in drowning was natural water (26.44%). Conclusion: Drowning death rates among persons aged ≤29 years significantly increased from 2019 to 2020. Further research is needed to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on drowning and identify how drowning prevention strategies can be adapted and strengthened. Practical applications: Drowning remains a leading cause of injury death among persons aged ≤29 years. However, drowning is preventable. Interventions such as learning basic swimming and water safety skills, and consistent use of lifejackets on boats and among weaker swimmers in natural water, have the potential to reduce drowning deaths. Developing strategies that ensure equitable access to these interventions may prevent future drowning.

Lifejacket wear and the associated factors among boaters involved in occupational boating activities on Lake Albert, Uganda: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundDrowning death rates in lakeside fishing communities in Uganda are the highest recorded globally. Over 95% of people who drowned from a boating activity in Uganda were not wearing a...

Excess load on ships and its effects on stability performance in Nigerian waterways

This research has been carried out to examine the impact of excess shipload on ship performance and stability. The objectives are to analyse the trend of sinking ships in Nigeria occasioned to ship excess load. Secondly, to examine the relationship between load size and ship stability and identify the various factors responsible for ship instability. Data were gathered from operators in the maritime industry using structured questionnaires and interviews as data collection instruments. Four significant stakeholders that can provide information based on their involvement across three strata of management, operation and general cadre were sampled. Pearson Moment Correlation technique has been used to examine the relationship between load size and ship stability, and Analysis of Variance-one was used to identify the various factors responsible for ship instability. The Pearson Moment Correlation technique analysis shows a significant relationship between load size and stability. The analysis of variance revealed that "hogging and sagging" is the most crucial factor among the factors identified for ship instability. It has the highest value of F-ratio of 17.837 with a significance at p<0.05. The research concluded that resultant accidents from the instability of vessels are caused majorly by hogging and sagging of vessels, and notably, the occurrence is much in riverine areas in Nigeria. Loading the vessel has a relationship with the vessel's stability, as depicted from the analysis in this research. Recommendations on how to enhance stability through boat construction, shipbuilding, loading and passenger's use of life jackets, among others were made.

Evaluation and Management of Watercraft-Related Injuries for Acute Care Surgeons: Towards Improving Care and Implementing Effective Public Health Prevention Policies.

Boating has exposed humans to elemental hazards for centuries. What was once a lifelong craft and time-honored skillset is now, with modern technology, a popular recreational activity. Boating safety has inherent limitations and has been historically challenging to enforce. These circumstances have given way to a rising number of watercraft-associated injuries and fatalities. This review aims to investigate the diagnosis, work-up, and management of watercraft-related injuries, including blunt mechanisms, propeller wounds, water-force trauma, associated marine infections, and submersion injuries, as well as outline gaps in current public health policy on watercraft injuries, potential interventions, and available solutions. Motorboats and personal watercraft differ in size, power modality, and differential risk for injury. Accidents aboard watercraft often share commonalities with motor vehicles and motorcycles, namely: rapid deceleration, ejection, and collision with humans. The complexity of care is added by the austere environment in which many watercraft accidents occur, as well as the added morbidity of drowning and hypothermia. Wounds can also become infected by marine organisms, which require wound care and antimicrobial therapy specific to the aquatic environment in which the injury occurred. The treatment of these patients can be further exacerbated by the prolonged transportation times due to complicated water rescue. There are many measures that can prevent or abate watercraft injuries, but inconsistent regulations and enforcement may impair the success of these interventions. Further research is needed to identify possible solutions to common causes of watercraft injuries, such as inconsistent lifejacket use and bow riding.

Determinants of lifejacket use among boaters on Lake Albert, Uganda: a qualitative study

BackgroundDrowning is a major cause of unintentional injury death worldwide. The toll is greatest in low and middle-income countries. Over 95% of people who drowned while boating in Uganda were...

Facilitators and barriers of life jacket use for drowning prevention: Qualitative evidence synthesis

Background: Drowning is a public health problem globally. Despite substantial evidence on the effectiveness of life jackets, their use for drowning prevention has remained low. This study aims to understand the barriers and facilitators of life jacket use. Methods: We searched four major electronic databases, contacted experts, hand-searched conference abstracts and screened reference lists to identify primary qualitative studies. We used the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist for quality appraisal and the PROGRESS Plus framework to understand equity issues. Thematic analysis was conducted. Results: We retrieved 1153 records and finally included ten studies that met eligibility criteria. All except two studies were from high-income countries. Four key themes were identified. Firstly, life jacket use was shaped through complex interactions between lived experience and cultural norms which influenced the risk-perception of life jacket utility in preventing deaths. Secondly, the high cost of life jackets was almost always a barrier for its usage. Thirdly, adoption of laws and its subsequent enforcement was perceived to be an important facilitator for life jacket use. Lastly, design issues around comfort, fashion-sense, and shelf life influenced usage. Conclusion: The results of this qualitative evidence synthesis should be considered for health promotion, legal and policy interventions to promote the uptake of life jackets. There is a need for better understanding of perceptions and their role in the uptake of safety behaviours in different countries including the role of equity issues on the use of life jackets.

Evaluation of the Lifejackets for Lobstermen program: A social marketing initiative to increase lifejacket use in the Northeast lobster fishing industry

BackgroundFatality data from the U.S. commercial fishing industry indicates workers in this industry suffer from comparatively high rates of work-related death, in relation to other U.S. industries. Falls overboard are the most frequent cause of death among Northeast lobster fishermen, who make up a large proportion of the commercial fishing industry in this region. PFDs can be an effective solution for preventing fatalities due to falls overboard and vessel sinkings. This study describes the implementation and impact of an intervention focused on increasing PFD use among lobster fishermen in MA and ME. MethodsThe intervention, entitled “Lifejackets for Lobstermen”, utilized social marketing principles to make PFDs an appealing and accessible option for lobster fishermen. This included offering a variety of fishermen-approved PFDs, as well as making access to these PFDs easy and affordable by bringing them to ports and offering 50% discounts. The program was also promoted widely using slogans and pictures that connected PFD use to fishermens’ values and interests. Intervention impact was measured using pre and post intervention surveys measuring changes in fishermens’ readiness to wear PFDs and through intervention PFD sales. ResultsSurvey data indicate a significant shift in readiness to wear PFDs in the ME and MA lobster fishing industry in both the treatment and control regions of the study. The largest shifts occurred among fishermen who had not considered wearing PFDs previously. However, during the study assessment period, 88% of intervention PFD sales came from fishermen in the treatment region. ConclusionsThe application of social marketing principles to increase the use of PFDs among lobster fishermen in MA and ME successfully increased fishermen’s willingness to consider and purchase PFDs on fishing vessels.

Missing masculinities: The need for gender transformative approaches in water safety promotion for men

Globally, men are more prone to engage in high-risk behaviours, which can shorten their life expectancy when compared to women (Creighton & Oliffe, 2010). Further, men die by drowning at twice the rate of women (World Health Organization, 2020). As such, drowning prevention campaigns have often focused on finding ways to change men's attitudes towards water safety and particularly the use of lifejackets, personal protective equipment that play key roles in preventing drowning (Peden et al., 2018).

Promoting Equity, Social Justice, and Saving Lives with Life Jacket and Clothing Policies.

Worldwide, diverse racial/ethnic groups have disproportionately higher drowning rates. Learning to swim and wearing life jackets decrease drowning risk. We evaluated aquatic facilities’ policies regarding use of life jackets, clothing, and diapers through a lens of social justice, equity, and inclusion to ensure they met the needs of the diverse high-risk groups they serve and changing aquatic activities and programs. Public recreational pools, beach and waterpark facilities in the US and international organizations were surveyed regarding their policies on life jacket use, clothing, and diapers between 2015 and 2016. A total of 562 facilities responded, mostly pools. Almost all facilities allowed wearing life jackets in the shallow end but less so in the deep end, and wearing of T-shirts, shorts, and clothes for modesty reasons. Policies varied most on wearing non-swim clothes. Almost universal requirement of diapers applied to infants only. Respondents’ reported themes included cost, access, safety, hygiene and equipment maintenance. Reviewed policies generally reflected facilities’ responsiveness to diverse populations’ specific needs. However, policy variations around wearing clothing and swim diapers could be costly, confusing, and impede participation in aquatic activities by vulnerable populations, specifically young children and racial and ethnic minorities. Standardization of these policies could assist aquatic facilities and their users. A best-practices-based policy is outlined.

Lifejackets and Lobstermen: Giving Safety Equipment a Competitive Advantage

ABSTRACTBackground: Falls overboard are the most frequent cause of death in the Northeast lobster fishing industry. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) surveillance indicates every victim of a fall overboard who has been found was not wearing a lifejacket. Preliminary research conducted in Maine and Massachusetts indicates lifejacket use is relatively uncommon among lobstermen due to barriers such as comfort, practicality, and social norms.Methods: This study highlights an initiative to: (1) trial various lifejacket designs with lobstermen; (2) identify the most popular designs; and (3) identify other features that could encourage use of lifejackets. In 2017, nine designs were trialed with lobstermen in Maine and Massachusetts during the winter and summer fishing seasons. Participants were recruited dockside, and lifejackets were randomly assigned. Participants completed surveys at 1 week and 4 weeks to assess positive and negative design features and to understand the importance of survival technology that can be used in conjunction with lifejackets.Results: 181 lobstermen in Maine and Massachusetts agreed to participate. Recruitment rates were 90.5%, while the survey completion rate was 88.4%. Survey results identified no clear preference for a specific lifejacket design; however, the ability to choose from many options appeared to be an important factor.Conclusion: Previous studies have indicated that lifejacket preferences are fisheries specific. In the Northeast lobster fishery, however, individual preferences varied. Our research demonstrates that a range of devices covering different buoyancies, wear type, and retrieval systems should be made more available to lobstermen.

Mengamati Keselamatan Penumpang Angkutan Sungai dan Danau

Tingkat kecelakaan angkutan sungai dan danau di Indonesia saat ini masih cukup tinggi. Hal inidisebabkan karena kurangnya tingkat kelaikan angkutan yang di gunakan dan faktor manusia yangseringkali mengabaikan standar keselamatan yang ada. Selain itu sosialisasi dalam kesadaranberkesalamatan dalam transportasi sangat minim adanya yang berakibat kelalaian terhadappengguna angkutan sungai dan darat. Dari hasil pengamatan di provinsi Sumatera Utara, SumateraSelatan, Kalimantan Selatan, dan Bali, ternyata tiap wilayah telah mempunyai Perda dan peraturanlokal untuk menanggulangi bahaya kecelakaan angkutan sungai dan danau dengan istilah teknikyang berbeda, kedalaman dan keluasan peraturan termasuk perizinan yang berbeda pula. Di sisiyang lain mempunyai orientasi yang sama bahwa dalam hal perizinan angkutan sungai dan danau(ASD) merupakan PAD (Pendapatan Asli Daerah) sehingga ketegasan dalam penerapan

Can You Float? Part 2 - Perceptions and Practice of Lifejacket Use Among Young Adults

Personal flotation devices (PFDs), commonly referred to as lifejackets, have been identified as an extremely effective form of drowning prevention and was identified as a critical distinct water competency by Stallman and colleagues (2017). In this second phase of the Can You Float? study, perceptions and practice of a range of lifejacket tasks among students (N = 40) with known water proficiency were examined. Participants estimated exertion levels before and after practical testing of six simulated survival tasks when wearing lifejackets. All participants completed a 25m sprint swim, 5-minute endurance swim, 5-minute float, and 25m partner assist but many failed to complete a 15m underwater swim (63%) and deep water exit (63%). Students underestimated the level of exertion required to complete the underwater swim and deep water exit. Reasons for, and implications of, this underestimation are discussed and recommendations for the teaching of lifejacket competency in water safety programs are made.

Risk factors associated with life jacket wear among adult canoeists and kayakers in the United States, 1999–2017

Drowning is the most common cause of death in recreational boating. Life jackets prevent drowning, yet adult wear rates remain relatively low on most types of boats. Canoes and kayaks are among the least used boat types, yet maintain the third and first highest annual boating-related drowning rates in 2012, respectively. This 1999–2017 study collected data from 124 study sites across the US. Life jacket wear was calculated for 13 dichotomized risky and non-risky variables, using Chi-square tests. A count variable based on number of risks was created, and Cochran-Armitage trend tests examined linearity in life jacket use. Three illustrative variables for each boat type were represented in tree diagrams. Kayakers had higher wear rates than canoeists among all variables observed. For both boats, the majority of risky conditions had higher life jacket wear rates than their non-risky alternatives. As the number of risks increased, life jacket wear rate increased. Boaters seemingly conduct a mental assessment of risk to determine whether to wear a life jacket.

Drowning Prevention: Introduction and Recent Developments

Drowning process often results in respiratory impairment and may lead to death. World Health Organisation has identified drowning as third leading cause of unintentional death at the world level. Annually, 360000 people die because of drowning and its complications. Children, males and individuals with access to water are at risk of drowning. Drowning prevention focuses usually on asphyxia and secondary pneumonia. Prevention of craniocerebral trauma may reduce mortality due to drowning. Drowning prevention is a challenging area. The present paper is an attempt to give an overview of epidemiology, experiences, prevention & therapy, traditional & new approaches, special precautions and innovations in drowning prevention. Importance of the swimming skills, parental motivation, use of life jackets and availability of lifeguards has been realized time and again. There is a strong need to improve EMS response to drowning incidents. The governmental agencies need to bring and enforce strict legislations and policies on water safety. The professional societies need to contribute towards the improvement of professional practice guidelines. Water safety of travelers is also an area of concern. Alcohol intoxication near the water bodies and on water transport needs to be controlled. Community-based drowning prevention interventions can help effectively in drowning prevention.

A 10-year descriptive analysis of UK Maritime and Coastguard data on lifejacket use and drowning prevention

The study investigated if incidences of death by drowning in the UK could have been prevented through the use of lifejackets over a ten year period. This study was a retrospective analysis of fatal maritime incident data collected by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) between the years 2007 and 2016. A Casualty Review Panel (CRP) met annually to categorise incidents into five groups based on the likelihood of a lifejacket preventing death. Descriptive analyses were performed on the overall fatalities, data were stratified by year, sex, age, and activity. Ten year data were categorised based on the outcome of the CRP, these data were further stratified by year and activity, with trends being reported. Potentially 180 lives (82% of all cases successfully categorised) could have been saved if a lifejacket had been worn. An 18% reduction in the number of cases referred to the CRP was observed from the first 5 years (2007–2011 = 59% of all referrals) to the last 5 years (2007–2011 = 41% of all referrals), with 42% less cases referred in 2016 compared to 2007. The data generated by the CRP over the ten years has provided a unique insight into coastal deaths, it has provided a clear rationale for the use of lifejackets and has helped target national and activity-specific campaigns for water safety and lifejacket use.

Factors associated with life jacket use among cabin sailboat and day sailor boaters in the United States

IntroductionIn 2015, drowning accounted for 68% of the 626 recreational boating related deaths in the United States. Although life jackets are estimated to prevent between 50% to 80% of boating deaths, approximately 83% of sailboat-related drowning victims were reported to not be wearing life jackets. Life jacket use among adult boaters has remained consistently low across most boat types and may vary by boater, boating, and environmental conditions. Although many risky environmental and boating factors may be associated with a higher risk of boating death, drowning occurs in all situations and it is useful to understand adult life jacket wearing behaviors in differing boating situations. MethodsThis study uses observational survey data from 61318 adult sailors collected during the summer months of 1999 – 2017 from 124 selected study sites across 30 states in the US. Life jacket use was compared for day sailors and cabin sailboats by multiple boating, boater, and environmental conditions using Chi-square tests for equality of proportions. Results of these tests led to a choice of 3 informative and scientifically compelling variables to summarize variation in life jacket use for each sailboat type. Odds ratios were calculated comparing life jacket use from each boating situation to the lowest risk situation as determined by the 3 selected variables. These variables were represented in a tree diagram, detailing the additive impact of each factor. Following these analyses, all boating conditions were categorized to be risky or non-risky and a count variable was created for each observation based on the number of risks present. Cochran-Armitage trend tests were conducted to test for linearity in life jacket use for both boat types. ResultsThe overall life jacket wear rate was higher among adults in day sailor sailboats (51.6%) compared to cabin sailboats (13.8%) and in all measured demographic, boating, and environmental circumstances. Comparing high-risk cabin sailboat conditions of low water temperatures, small boat size, and high wind speed to the lowest-risk situation accounted for a 23.3% range in life jacket wear rate (OR=4.7). Comparing high-risk day sailor sailboat conditions of small boat size, one boater on board, and choppy/rough wave height to the lowest-risk situation accounted for a 39.3% range in life jacket wear rate (OR=5.9). For both boat types, the number of risks present and life jacket wear rate exhibited a statistically significant positive linear relationship at p<0.0001. ConclusionStudy results suggest that boaters are aware of the connection between life jacket use and drowning prevention and are more likely to wear life jackets when boating in conditions perceived to be risky. Practical applicationsBoating safety promotion efforts should recommend adult life jacket use in all boating situations, as seemingly non-risky conditions may still result in drownings.

Use of life jackets and other types of flotation for in-water recreation in designated swim areas in Washington State

Most fatal drownings worldwide occur in open water. Flotation devices may protect swimmers. Their use by those recreating in water has not been described.MethodsObservational survey of swimmers and waders at...

Drowning among the lakeside fishing communities in Uganda: results of a community survey

ABSTRACTThe study aimed to determine the drowning burden in four Ugandan lakeside districts; the prevalence of life jacket use, and community knowledge and attitudes regarding water safety. Subjects were recruited as they disembarked from boats. A structured questionnaire was used for demographics, experience on water, details of incidents in water, and awareness of drowning prevention measures. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews were held. The study interviewed 544 participants; 81.1% male, 86.8% below 45 years, and 51.1% involved in the fishing industry. A quarter (26.1%) of the respondents were observed wearing life jackets as they disembarked. Participants who had been in a boat that nearly capsized (57.8%), or that actually capsized (21.7%), were no more likely to wear life jackets than those who had not had these experiences. Three quarters (73.2%) did not know how to call for rescue, and only 48.7% could swim. There drowning fatality rate in this community was 502 deaths per 100,000 population. Majority of drowning events occurred during transportation (51.7%) or fishing (39.0%). The most frequently mentioned factors were stormy weather and overloading. Drowning is a common threat to young adults in the fishing communities around Lake Victoria. Few preventive interventions are in place.