KEY FINDINGS
This section presents some illustrative findings contained in the figures and tables
which comprise the report. It is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis of the
tabulated data. When possible, data for the United States are given in order to provide a
comparative context for the Arizona drowning mortality statistics. Prior to 1989, drowning
was the third leading cause of unintentional injury death both nationwide and in Arizona,
surpassed only by motor vehicle and fall-related deaths. Beginning in 1989, poisoning by
drugs/medicaments displaced drowning as the third leading cause of unintentional injury
death in Arizona.
- The highest age-specific drowning rate is for children under five years of age. In each
year from 1987 to 1997, Arizona preschoolers have been at greater annual risk for drowning
compared to their national peers (Figure 1).
- During 1996 (the latest year for which the data by state are available), the drowning
mortality rates among children 0-4 years ranged from a zero (no fatalities) in Maine,
North and South Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont to 8.1/100,000 in Florida. Arizona
preschoolers ranked second highest in the nation (Figure 2).
- In 1996, the age-adjusted drowning mortality rates ranged from 0.6/100,000 in Vermont to
6.4 in Alaska. Arizona ranked tenth highest among the 50 states and the District of
Columbia in its drowning death rate for all ages (Figure 3).
- The number of drowning deaths per 100,000 Arizona children 0-4 years dropped 11 percent
from 8.8/100,000 in 1995 to 7.9/100,000 in 1996, and 7.8/100,000 in 1997.
- The 1997 drowning rate among preschoolers was 3.7 times higher than the rate for persons
of all ages
- From 1987 to 1997, an estimated average of 19 children 0-4 years old drowned each year
in swimming pools in Arizona.
- Among children under 5 years of age, one year olds experienced a noticeable increase in
their risk for drowning death from 10.3/100,000 in 1996 to 21.0/100,000 in 1997. The
latter was their highest drowning rate of the eleven-year period from 1987 to 1997.
- During 1997, drowning constituted about 33 percent of all unintentional injury deaths
(27 out of 81) among Arizona's infants and preschool children.
- In 1997, the drowning mortality rate for Hispanic children under 5 years of age
(7.1/100,000) was 24.5 percent lower than the rate of 9.4/100,000 among non-Hispanic
whites.
- The rate of death from drowning for all Arizona residents (Figure 3) dropped
19 percent from 2.6/100,000 in 1995 to 2.1/100,000 in 1997.
- The 1997 male death rate for drowning (3.1/100,000) was 2.8 times higher than the death
rate for females (1.1/100,000). Seven out of every ten (73.5 percent) drowning fatalities
in 1997 were males.
- Thirty-three percent or 352 out of 1,054 Arizonans who drowned between 1987 and 1997 did
so in a swimming pool (Figure
4).
- One of the health objectives targeted in the Arizona 2000: Plan for a Healthy
Tomorrow was that the death rate for drowning should be reduced to 1.3/100,000. The
1997 drowning rate for Arizona residents of all ages exceeded the target rate by 62
percent.
Prepared and made Web-ready by Christopher K. Mrela, Ph.D., Assistant Registrar of
Vital Statistics
Office of Epidemiology and Statistics
Bureau of Public Health Statistics
Arizona Department of Health Services
Phone: (602) 542-1216
FAX: (602) 542-2940
Date:6/28/99 |
