A South African Epidemiological Study of Fatal Drownings: 2016 – 2021

Drowning is a serious public health concern. Low middle income countries are mostly affected, as they carry 90% of the global drowning burden. The purpose of this epidemiological study is to provide a comprehensive overview of fatal drownings in South Africa between 2016 and 2021. The data used for the study was obtained from the South African Police Service. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise data. Statistical analysis included a t-test and chi-square test. The results indicate that the average fatal drownings per annum is 1477 in South Africa, with a drowning rate of 2.54 per 100 000 population from 2016 - 2021. The KwaZulu-Natal province had the highest incidence of drowning. The 0 – 4-year category has a high prevalence of drowning amongst all the age categories. More males drowned in South Africa compared to females. The study highlights key areas of concern these include age, sex, race, province, type of water body and time of day. This information is crucial to inform drowning prevention initiatives in South Africa.