Proposed prevention strategies cited in the literature addressing drowning among high-risk populations
| Theme | Proposed prevention strategies/examples | Reference |
| Education | ||
| Culturally appropriate | Water safety education that incorporates cultural beliefs and practices and language (if required); that is culturally appropriate and targeted to the population. | 26 33 36 37 40 62 |
| Information based | Education strategies in all forms of communication and is available in a range of languages. | 39 51 |
| Safe behaviour and decision making | Water safety education focusing on safer behaviour and decision making around the water; that promote accurate risk assessment and risk management. | 36–38 40 42 |
| Of parents | Water safety education for parents included with swimming lessons; to address fear of water and drowning. | 43 44 48 |
| Engagement | ||
| Community engagement | To recruit target populations to participate in swimming programmes; incorporation of traditional knowledge and beliefs; establish an advisory group from the community being targeted; using a ‘cultural broker’. | 25 33 37 41 53 |
| Using cultural Brokers | Water safety education of parents within the healthcare setting. | 28 33 |
| Policy | ||
| Inclusion in school curriculum | Water safety education in the school curriculum mandated. | 26 42 43 51 |
| Subsidised programme | Offering free/low-cost swimming lessons, convenient locations; programmes subsidised for high-risk populations. | 32 48 51 |
| Other | Infrastructure: increase aquatic facilities in ethnic-minority communities, increased patrolled/lifeguarded locations, mandatory safety measures in place. | 32 40 46 |
| Practical strategies | ||
| Swimming lessons | Swimming lessons targeting ethnic-minority populations; for all ages; single gender swimming classes. | 29 43 50 |
| Water safety skills | Emphasis on water safety skills; targeted education campaigns focusing on water safety skills. | 25 27 36 53 |
| CPR and first aid | Learning CPR. | 26 29 |
| Research themes | ||
| Evaluation | Evaluation of interventions and strategies targeting high-risk groups, and best practice models. | 23 24 41 48 49 52 |
| Social determinants | Research of the broader socioeconomic factors and circumstances among high-risk populations, cultural barriers influencing swimming participation. | 29 31 44 46 |
| Disparities | Research to determine why disparities exist. | 30 36 44 48 |
| Swimming skills | Research investigating self-reported and actual swimming ability of children and adults; perceived swimming and rescue competence matches real competence in the open water; retention of swimming skills. | 34 37 38 47 |
| Targeted strategies—general | ||
| Culturally appropriate interventions | Culturally appropriate interventions (did not specify). Targeting drowning prevention strategies towards ethnic-minority populations. | 8 23 24 27 35 49 |
CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation.