When bathing leads to drowning in older adults
| Autor: | Véronique Provencher, Manon Guay, Monia D’Amours |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Canada Activities of daily living Bathing Heart Diseases Health Services for the Aged Poison control Coroner Personal hygiene Environmental health 0502 economics and business Medicine Humans 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences Safety Risk Reliability and Quality health care economics and organizations 050107 human factors Aged Aged 80 and over 050210 logistics & transportation Drowning Bathtub business.industry Protective Devices 05 social sciences Quebec Baths Censuses social sciences Self-Help Devices Distress Housing population characteristics Residence Environment Design Female Safety business human activities |
| Zdroj: | Journal of safety research. 69 |
| ISSN: | 1879-1247 |
| Popis: | Introduction: Bathing is the most problematic activity of daily living for aging adults, and the ability to perform it is influenced by physical capabilities that decrease with age. Drowning is an under-documented event related to bathing for older adults. This study investigates the circumstances of these tragedies, to prevent them. Methods: Census of 2005–2014 bathtub drownings in the province of Quebec (Canada) involving victims aged 65 +. Coroner's reports were analyzed using a grid based on factors previously associated with bath-related drownings in literature, iteratively modified. Results: Among the 92 bathtub drowning victims inventoried, 42% were aged 65 +. The average age of older victims is 79 (65–97, ± 9 years). Main probable cause of drowning is a cardiac problem, although only 19% of victims had a medical history of heart disease. Most victims were alone in their apartment or residence when drowning occurred. Risky periods appear to be springtime, Sundays, and evenings. Despite expectations, relevant information about the physical environment is very scarce. Conclusions: At least 39 Quebecers, aged 65 +, drowned in their bathtubs over a 10-year period. More older adults than children are victims of bathtub drownings in community-dwellings. It seems that bathing may induce heart distress, leading to an appreciable number of drownings. Practical implications: Since cardiac health problems are present in these deplorable events, promoting access to safety devices in the environment (emergency button, grab bars) and modified personal hygiene habits (bathing chair, showering) might be potential ways to prevent drowning and improve safety in older adults while they perform their personal hygiene, an essential activity for health and human dignity. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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