CIVILIAN EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DROWNING

Reported incidence of 360,000 to over 500,000 civilian deaths attributed to unintentional drowning annually, not including boating accidents or those related to natural disasters. *These numbers are thought to be underreported. 2, 9-10

Worldwide, children ages 1-4 have the highest rates of drowning, followed by children ages 5-9. Boys are twice as likely to die from drowning.3

It is the leading cause of death or contributing factor among scuba divers (100-150/year). Primary etiology of death can be difficult to determine as distinction between equipment malfunction or medical emergency can be challenging.10-12