Lifeguard Training Program and Drowning Death Rates in Ecuador, 2000-2019

Am J Public Health. 2022 Nov;112(11):1546-1550. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2022.307013. Epub 2022 Sep 15.

Abstract

Drowning is a common cause of death and disability worldwide. We report the experience of Ecuador, a middle-income country, where a lifeguard training program was implemented to reduce incidents of drowning. We describe how "Project Ecuador" was able to expand from one to 20 beaches in a five-year period. We detail how these interventions triggered the creation of a self-sustained national program and a law proposal that guarantee a safe environment across the Ecuadorian coastal region. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(11):1546-1550. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307013).

MeSH terms

  • Drowning* / prevention & control
  • Ecuador / epidemiology
  • Humans