May 15, 2024 – Public health officials are calling for a nationwide effort to extend the number of individuals taking swimming lessons as recent data shows drowning deaths have seen a troubling increase first observed at first of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the identical time, greater than half of U.S. adults have never taken a single swimming lesson and 15% of adults cannot swim, in accordance with survey data released alongside the CDC's recent study. Report of accidental drowningAbout two-thirds of individuals don’t have any problem swimming in water that’s above their head, the survey found.
Drowning deaths rose a dramatic 10.5% from 2019 to 2020, from 4,067 in 2019 to 4,589 in 2020. In the previous decade, the annual variety of drowning deaths within the U.S. was about 4,000 or fewer. But because the pandemic began, the number has topped 4,500 annually. The report included recent preliminary figures for 2022, which put the whole variety of drowning deaths this 12 months at 4,509.
The increase in deaths affected all age, racial and ethnic groups, with some groups seeing larger increases than others, including children ages 1 to 4, people ages 65 and older, and black people. Estimator on the CDC website suggests that the greater than 4,500 deaths in 2022 represent a possible lack of a minimum of 110,000 years of life.
“I have seen the consequences of drowning firsthand: families forced to say goodbye to their loved ones too soon,” said CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, MD, MPH, in a opinion. “CDC's drowning prevention experts have collected high-quality data on drowning to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States. By understanding the barriers people face in accessing basic swimming and water safety training, we can better understand how to remove those barriers, reduce drowning rates, and save lives.”
Drowning rates are the best amongst American Indians and Alaska Natives of any ethnic group. Black people have the second highest rate, and between 2019 and 2021, drowning deaths increased by 28%.
While 15% of U.S. adults say they don't know swim, that figure is 37% for black adults. Black and Hispanic adults were among the many least prone to have ever taken swimming lessons: 63% of blacks reported not taking lessons, and 72% of Hispanic adults never took lessons.
“Disparities in access to swimming lessons are one barrier that may contribute to these findings. Swimming lessons can be expensive or unavailable in some communities,” the CDC report authors wrote. “When swimming lessons are available, some people may be reluctant to participate due to complex social and cultural factors. Everyone should have access to basic swimming and water safety training.”
The CDC urged communities to construct and revitalize public pools and promote inexpensive swimming and water safety classes, for instance through the American Red Cross or YMCA. Other resources for swimming lessons include the US Swim School Association Search function and the USA Swimming website To help guide your alternative of swimming lessons and to know when children are ready, the CDC recommends, adding that everybody can prevent drowning by:
- Learn basic swimming skills, water safety and CPR. Also do not forget that children who’ve had swimming lessons still need constant supervision in or near water.
- Wearing a life jacket when boating, no matter an individual’s age or swimming ability
- No alcohol consumption before or during water activities, even when you are only supervising children within the water