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DS 4 Develop Standardized Drowning Data Collection Tool for Investigations

Key area

Data Surveillance

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.

Spectrum level: Changing Organizational Practices

Evidence level: Low

Implementation levels: National State

Rationale:

Standardized information gathering allows public health to monitor prevention strategies and evaluate programs to prevent future drownings. Measuring the impact of these infrastructure improvements is difficult; however, gains in drowning reduction are hampered without such improvements.

Anticipated Impact:

After implementing this recommendation, you can expect to experience the following outcomes.

  • Standardized information gathering allows public health to monitor prevention strategies and evaluate programs to prevent future drownings.
  • Measuring the impact of infrastructure improvements leads to more effective efforts in the reduction of drowning.

Evidence:

There is evidence that standardized data collection has been successful in shaping injury prevention policies and programs.

Evidence Sources:

Evidence to support standardized efforts include:

CDC. Sudden Unexpected Death Surveillance Guidelines https://www.cdc.gov/sids/pdf/508suidiguidelinessingles_tag508.pdf

National Highway Safety Transportation Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System https://www.nhtsa.gov/crash-data-systems/fatality-analysis-reporting-system#:~:text=The%20Fatality%20Analysis%20Reporting%20System%20%28FARS%29%2C%20which%20became,a%20nonoccupant%20within%2030%20days%20of%20the%20crash.

National Highway Safety Transportation Administration - Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria https://www.ghsa.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/MMUCC5thEdweb.pdf

National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention Case Form https://www.ncfrp.org/wp-content/uploads/NCRPCD-Docs/CDRPrintCase_v4-1.pdf

High Risk Populations Addressed:

All populations can benefit from implementation of this recommendation.

Evaluation Metrics:

Indicators of long-term impact:

  • Implementation of standardized minimum data set at state, county or local levels

Indicators of intermediate impact:

  • Minimum data set at the national level is developed
  • Training is developed
  • Legislation to support implementation is passed

Indicators of initial impact:

  • A group of multidisciplinary experts is conveyed to develop minimum data set
  • Training materials are developed
  • The number of trainings held increases
  • The number of laws and policies passed in support of use increases

Implementation:

Consider the following to ensure successful implementation:

  • Collaborate to develop comprehensive but not burdensome standard minimum data set.
  • Advocate for legislation.
  • Develop and implement training.
  • Implement cross-agency collaboration for data collection.
  • Develop a process for data dissemination for research and evaluation.
  • Standardize data collection across jurisdictions to allow compilation (drowning is a scientifically rare event) and comparison (why development at a national level would be most helpful).

Challenges to Implementation:

When implementing this recommendation, you might encounter challenges related to the following factors.

  • Resources to develop and promote a standardized data set may be lacking.
  • Resources to provide training to implement any developed data set may be limited.
  • Time and resources for investigation may be lacking.
  • Scoop and run process may not support time needed for EMS to collect data.
  • Witnesses may be reluctant to share info
  • Current capacity and desire to collect alcohol and drug use on drowning victims (especially nonfatal) and their supervisors (like parents) may be limited.
  • Systems may be fractured (different stakeholders have access to different data – needs to be compiled)
  • Infrastructure at the state, county and local level to implement and support may be limited.

Potential Facilitators:

The following factors might facilitate the implementation of this recommendation.

  • Other similar efforts, like those around Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Investigation, have been successful and would be good models for the standardization of a data collection tool to be used in drowning investigations.

GAP Recommendation:

None