National drowning surveillance strategy
Develop a national drowning surveillance working group to create a national drowning surveillance strategy addressing minimum datasets; develop standardized reporting tools; obtain consensus on drowning risk assessment measures; provide guidance on drowning surveillance, including the collection of sensitive information; develop and validate questions on aquatic knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors; and provide guidance on creating annual drowning reports.
Progress Notes:
Initial discovery
Coordinating efforts across agencies
Expansion of working group to include additional agencies and organizations; priorities TBD
DSWG creating sub-working groups discussing media and data sources
WG 1 addressing DS 10, DS 11, and partial work on DS 16
DSWG addressing media education and DS 5
WG 2 addressing DS 4
Recommendations Addressed
Develop and implement a national surveillance system that includes collecting, analyzing, and sharing data from standardized incident reports at aquatic venues and services to inform the design and implementation of drowning prevention efforts.
Develop and implement a standardized data collection tool to be used in drowning investigations for use by law enforcement, pre-hospital care, hospitals, coroners, and similar type investigators.
Develop and disseminate a tool to enhance media reporting of fatal and nonfatal drowning to include details on known risk factors, such as water conditions, and evidence-based prevention strategies, such as isolation fencing, swim ability, life jacket use, lifeguard presence, alcohol, or drug use.
Standardize assessment and reporting of alcohol, medication, and drug use among drowning victims, those who were supervising the victim, and boat operators as a factor in drowning incidents.
Develop and implement guidance on standardized assessment and reporting of sensitive data like alcohol, medication, and drug use in drowning victims, those who were supervising the victim, and boat operators involved in drowning incidents.