The characteristics of drowning among different types of international visitors to Australia and how this contributes to their drowning risk.

OBJECTIVE: Australia is a popular destination for international visitors. This study reviews international visitor drowning deaths in Australia and analyses drowning by visitor type. METHODS: A total population retrospective study exploring drowning deaths of international visitors was conducted between 2008 and 2018. Data were extracted from the Royal Life Saving National Fatal Drowning Database and categorised into four subgroups: overseas tourists, international students, working holiday makers and work-related visitors. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and relative risk (RR) were calculated. RESULTS: In total, 201 international visitors drowned in Australia, 7% of all drowning deaths; a crude drowning rate of 0.27/100,000 visitors versus 0.95/100,000 for residents (RR=0.19 [95% CI: 0.16-0.22]). Most deaths were males (79%) and people aged 18-34 years (50%). Visitors frequently drowned at beaches (33%), and when swimming (41%). Thirty-five percent recorded a pre-existing medical condition. Overseas tourists on holiday were the most likely to drown compared to other subgroups. CONCLUSION: International visitors represent a small but increasing proportion of people drowning in Australia. The circumstances of which visitors drown vary by travel purpose, age, country of origin, location of drowning and activity. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: International visitors have unique safety needs, requiring tailored prevention based on the purpose of travel and country of origin.

Beach safety education for primary school children.

Childhood drowning remains a serious public health problem worldwide. The Australian Water Safety Council has set as one of its highest priorities the reduction of drowning deaths in children aged 0-14 years. However, concerns have recently been raised that many students completing primary school still lack the ability to recognize potential aquatic risks, cope with emergencies or assist someone else in danger. In this study, 107 primary school children aged 11-12 completed a one day training programme led by surf lifesaving instructors. Pre, post and eight week follow-up measures showed statistically significant improvements in recognition of the red 'beach closed' flag, aquatic safety signs, how to identify a rip current and choosing the safest place to swim at a beach that included a rip current in the picture. Following training students were more willing to provide first aid assistance to family members and friends in an emergency situation. Findings reinforce the value of school-based training that provides a general foundation for aquatic safety, with the caveat that current programmes must be evaluated to ensure their content has a robust prevention focus.

Emergency response readiness for primary school children.

Objective The aim of the present study was to determine whether a 1-day basic life support (BLS) training program can significantly increase emergency response readiness for primary school children. Methods One hundred and seven children aged 11-12 years completed a program led by surf lifesaving instructors. A 50-item quiz was administered 1 week before and 1 and 8 weeks after training. Results Significant improvements were gained in knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR; P<0.001), the response sequence for emergency situations (DRSABCD action plan) and various emergency scenarios, including choking (P<0.001) and severe bleeding (P<0.001). Knowledge and understanding were retained at the 8-week follow-up. Students reported increased confidence in assisting others after training, consistent with previous studies. Conclusions A 1-day training program can significantly increase BLS knowledge and confidence to provide assistance in an emergency situation. Findings reinforce the value of school-based training that provides a general foundation for emergency response readiness. What is known about this topic? The importance and value of teaching BLS to school children is well established in the US, UK and Europe. However, in the past 20 years there has been little or no published Australian evaluation research in this area, despite thousands of training programs running each year around the country for children in first aid, CPR and water safety. What does this paper add? This paper confirms that Australian primary school children can benefit significantly from short, targeted BLS training programs that provide the basic skills and confidence for them to respond in an emergency situation. What are the implications for practitioners? The paper provides a training and evaluation framework that can be used by health educators for age-appropriate BLS programs. The study shows that making training real-world and relevant, especially having hands-on CPR practice with manikins, can address common barriers to performing first aid and CPR reported by young people.

Overseas visitor deaths in Australia, 2001 to 2003.

BACKGROUND: The health and safety of international visitors remain an important issue for Australia and other tourist destinations. The death of visitors remains an important indicator of safety. The aim of this study was to provide updated figures on deaths of overseas travelers in Australia. METHODS: Data were sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics concerning deaths of overseas visitors for the years 2001 to 2003. RESULTS: There were 1,068 overseas visitor deaths (701 males, 66%) during the study period 2001 to 2003. Death by natural causes increased with age, while deaths associated with accidents were more frequent among younger age groups. The majority of deaths were from natural causes (782, 73%), particularly ischemic heart diseases (26%). There were a total of 247 accidental deaths (23% of all deaths) with the main causes being transportation accidents (14% of all deaths) and accidental drowning/submersion (5% of all deaths). The countries contributing the most deaths were the UK (247, 23%), New Zealand (108, 10%) Melanesia/Micronesia (95, 9%), and the United States (57, 5%). CONCLUSIONS: Australia remains a relatively safe destination for international travelers, at least in terms of fatalities, which appear to be declining. Most deaths of overseas tourists in Australia are due to natural causes with cardiovascular disease being the predominant cause of death in this group. Accidents remain the most common preventable cause of death of travelers, with road and water safety being the major issues. It is important that tourism and travel medicine groups continue to advocate for improved health and safety of international travelers visiting Australia.