Brazil Drowning Bulletin – 10th edition

DROWNINGS What s happening?

Brazil Bulletin – 10th edition

Dr David Szpilman

15 Brazilians die from drowning every day.

year 2023

Brazilian Strategic Plan for Aquatic Safety

KNOW THE RISKS, RESPECT YOUR LIMITS, KNOW HOW TO ACT!

ALL CONTENT, TABULATED DATA, AND PUBLISHED MATERIALS ARE REGISTERED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF SOBRASA. They may be shared as long as the source is cited

This Bulletin reports the drowning issue in all its importance, giving attention to the main scenarios and various audiences, presenting customized solutions based on scientific research published by Brazilian Lifesaving Society - SOBRASA. The final result is the presentation of a Water Safety Brazilian Strategic Plan with 5 Steps, addressing the 10 recommended items by the United Nations and the World Health Organization for reducing drownings.

“To solve a problem, we must first see it, admit it, and understand it”

Szpilman and Palacios 2017

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

10 items recommended by the United Nations and the World Health Organization for the reduction of drowning and SOBRASA actions.

United Nations & WHO

4 strategies for drowning reduction

Strengthen public awareness of drowning through strategic communications

Promote multisectoral collaboration

Establish a water safety Brazilian strategic plan

Advance drowning prevention through data collection and well-designed studies

6 Interventions to prevent drowning

Install barriers controlling access to water

Provide safe places away from water for pre-school children

Teach school-age children (age over 6 years) water safe skills

Train the public in Water Safety

Set and enforce safe navigation

Build resilience and manage flood risk and other hazards

SOBRASA actions

Daily posts to 200.000 followers

18 Institutional partnerships

This document is updated annually

SOBRASA publications and recommendations

Pool + Safe Program

Home + Safe Program

Kim at School Program and Pool + Safe Program

Surf-Salva Program and Aquatic Emergencies

Sailing+Safe and Boat+Safe

County + Drowning Resilience Program

Preventing drowning: an implementation guide. World Health Organization. 2017.

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

1

Investigate and understand the drowning problem at international, national, regional and local levels.

2 Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

5

Gather institutions and organizations involved in the problem and the solution, strengthening the union and providing help for the multiplication of volunteers in watersafety.

3 5

Educate the population about the risks of drowning and its solutions. Daily posts on social media reaching 200,000 followers and punctual actions in the formal media (TV, radio and newspaper)

Free and customized prevention programs for the public (from simple to complex) “a shoe for every foot".

IMPORTANT NOTE: COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the social distancing measures in Brazil starting in March 2020, there was an increase in time spend at home and a decrease in the frequency of a visits to aquatic recreational areas. This disrupted the lifeguard supervision in these communal areas.

As a result, drowning mortality increased in 2020, and decreased again in 2021.

Conclusion: Increased time spent at home raised the risk of fatal drownings in the age groups 1 to 9 years. While the frequency in communal aquatic areas (beaches and rivers) was lower, the absence or reduction of lifeguards in these locations contributed to the raise in the number of deaths among the age group that frequents these places.

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

THE DROWNING ISSUE

Every ONE HOUR and a HALF, one Brazilian dies from drowning.

Teenagers have the highest risk of death

Men die on average 6.4 times more.

45% of drowning deaths occur before the age of 29.

4 children drown daily.

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

THE DROWNING ISSUE

2023 (base year 2021)

Every day ONE child dies at home.

Children > 10 years old and adults drown more often in natural waters (rivers, dams and beaches).

45% occur during the summer (Dec to Mar)

Children < 9 years old drown more often in pools and residences.

55% of deaths in the 1 to 9 years age group occur in homes.

Children aged 4 to 12 who know how to swim drown more due to pool pump suction.

THE DROWNING ISSUE

A TOURIST dies in Brazil every 3 DAYS

31% are tourists from São Paulo, and 22% of the deaths occur with tourists in Santa Catarina state.

Considering the exposure time, drowning has 200 times higher risk of death than transportation incidents.

A 47% reduction in drowning mortality in 26 years (1995-2021) indicates a successful path in the fight against this endemic.

The NORTH Region of Brazil has the highest mortality rate

Each drowning death costs Brazil € 42,000

IS DROWNING AN ACCIDENT?

“drowning is not an accident; it does not happen by chance. It is preventable, and prevention is the best form of treatment.“ Szpilman, 2005.

DROWNING IS AN INCIDENT!

For every 10 Brazilians drowning deaths, 9 occur before reaching the hospital.

Even skilled swimmers can drown

when they don’t respect their limits or due to a sudden reduction in their aquatic competence.

The estimated risk of death by drowning in a bathing area without lifeguards is 60 times higher.

For every 18 rescues performed by lifeguards, 1 requires hospital treatment.

For every 38 drowning patients treated at the hospital, 1 dies.

.Szpilman D; Near-Drowning and Drowning Classification: A proposal to stratify mortality based on the analysis of 1,831 cases. CHEST; VOL 112; ISSUE 3;1997.

.Szpilman D, Oliveira RB, Mocellin O, Webber J. Is drowning a mere mater of resuscitation? Resuscitation 129 (2018) 103-106

3.Venema AM, Groothoff JW, Bierens JJLM. The role of bystanders during rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims. Resuscitation 2010;81(4):434–439.

4.Szpilman D, Bierens JJLM, Handley AJ, Orlowski JP. Drowning: Current Concepts. N Engl J Med 2012;366:2102-10

THE DROWNING ISSUE

SUMMARY 2023 (base year 2021)

More than 90% of deaths occur by: IGNORING THE RISKS, DO NOT RESPECT PERSONAL LIMITS, and/or NOT KNOWING HOW TO ACT.

Check out the WHO webpage dedicated to World Drowning Prevention Day.

Why the fight against drowning?

5.531

Brazilians died from drowining in 2021 It is estimated that NON –FATAL incidentes could exceed 100.000. Unfortunately, our children are the primary victims of this situation, as drowning rankes among the top 4 causes of death for those age 1 to 19.

“It was just a few seconds, how could it happen so quikly?”.

Drowning happens in the blink of an eye and the results can be tragic

With the increasing number of people enjoying aquatic activities, whether it’s swimming, participating in water sports, transportation, work; or on beaches, pools, rivers and lakes, it has become essential to act in favour of preventing this Drowning tragedy!

WHO WE ARE – SOBRASA?

In 1995, recognizing the annual catastrophe of drowning in Brazil and the need to stop it, a group of professionals, including lifeguards, doctors and other volunteer experts in watersafety, founded SOBRASA – BRAZILIAN LIFESAVING SOCIETY, a non-profit organization serving as a professional council, uniting Brazil in the mission to reduce of drownings. With a board of 14 directors, 36 department heads, and 128 consultants, it provides the Brazil’s leading experts, present in every state of the country and engages in international activities, representing our nation, through the "International Lifesaving Federation" (ILSF) CLICK TO FIND OUT OUR ACTION IN 2022

MISSION

OUR VISION

OUR VALUES

How to plan drowning interventions?

1

2 3

Understanding the drowning problem

Aquatic setting, age group, gender, activity, precipitating factor, season, time, etc.

Plan interventions

Consider triggers, actions, interventions, and actors.

Implement e reassess

Preparation, Prevention, Response and Mitigation.

For every problem, an optimized solution

“PREVENTION IS SAVING, EDUCATE TO NOT DROWN!”

Vilela & Szpilman, 2014

The GLOBAL drowning PROBLEM (1) – WHO 2017*

One of the diseases with the greatest impact on global health and the economy.

• Drowning data worldwide is underestimated by 5 to 10 times.

• In 2015, out of the 192 WHO member countries, only 40% reported drowning data See map below

235.000 deaths per year.

SOBRASA estimates that there are more than 500,000 in the world.

The Top 10 causes of death for ages 5 to 14.

50% off all deaths occur in individuals under the age of 25.

3 X more deaths in low-income and per-capita income countries.

In low and middle-income countries > 90% occur in rivers, lakes, wells, in the home, and swimming pools.

World map of drowning deaths/100,000 population.

37 deaths every hour.

mortality

<1.3 per 100,000 pop. mortality

1.3-3.9 per 100,000 pop.

mortality > 3.9 per 100,000 pop. Unknown mortality

(*) Preventing drowning: an implementation guide. World Health Organization, editors. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2017.

The GLOBAL drowning PROBLEM (2)

The United Nations anticipates growth in the coming years, unless there is a drastic intervention with the use of prevention.

Major risk factors:

Alcohol is one of the risk factors

• Drowning is the leading cause of death in males aged 5 to 14 and the 5th leading cause among females.

• In the U.S. it is the second leading cause of unintentional death in the 1 to 14 age group.

• Among children aged 1 to 4, drowning is the second leading cause of death from trauma in South Africa and the first in Australia.

• Age under 14 years

• Alcohol use

• Low income

• Low education

• Rural ethnicity

• Risky behavior

• Lack of supervision

• Epilepsy (15 to 19 times).

South America#

• South America represents 6% of the world's population (385 million in 2008)

• 12% of all land on the planet.

• 3.3% of all drowning deaths from unintentional causes

(#) Data includes only unintentional deaths

The drowning problem in Brazil

Drownings in Brazil do not differ from the rest of the world, but due to having one of the largest areas suitable for year-round water activities, it has the highest number of aquatic rescues and one of the highest numbers of fatalities on the planet.

Despite all the alarming statistics in our country, drowning mortality has been declining in Brazil over the past 42 years (1979-2021) in both absolute and relative number (deaths/100,000 inhabitants) resulting in a reduction in the number of fatalities and the risk of aquatic incidents by over 50%. This remarkable achievement is a powerful testament that PREVENTION is the key to saving lives and eradicating these tragedies.

Drownings in Brazil are impactful, but they represent only the "tip of the iceberg".

Every day, there is news of a known person who was healthy and too young to die, surrounded by immense family resentment over why this tragedy was not prevented.

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

5.531

The drowning problem in Brazil

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children and young adults in Brazil.

Em 2021, drowning in Brazil was:

• 1st cause of death for ages 1 to 4,

• 3rd cause for ages 5 toa 9,

• 4th cause for ages 10 to 24,

• 5.531 Brazilians (2.6/100.000 pop) died from drowning.

It is estimated that 94% of aquatic incidents worldwide go UNREPORTED.

PREVENTION

Is the most effective tool in the fight against drownings!

Why is it so difficult to convince managers to invest in PREVENTION?

• The LACK OF AWERENESS of the severity of the problem, such as the number of people who daily subject themselves to the risk of aquatic incidents and the human and financial costs of these tragedies (fatal or not) is the main reason.

• Although the Ministry of Health database (DATASUS) provides excellent information with only a 2 years gap, it is only capable of reporting cases related to deaths and hospitalizations.

The drowning PROBLEM - Who and When?

The highest risk of drowning death occurs in the 15 to 49 age group (60%)

• 4 children drown daily. Totaling 1.397 annually.

• The lowest risk is in children under 1 year old (0,7%).

• Of all drowning deaths, 43% occur up to de age of 29.

• Swimming pools and homes are responsible for 3% of all drowning deaths, but predominantly (55%) the 1 to 9-year-old age group.

• On average, men die from drowning 6.4 times more often, with it being 15 times more in the 15 to 19-year-old age group.

Time of year and time of day

• 44% of drownings occur in the months of November to February (summer), with the remaining evenly distributed throughout the other 8 months.

• More than 65% occur on weekends and holidays.

• More than 50% occur between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

There are variations in terms of age and location of drownings

• Children aged 1 to 9 drown more often due the falls in pools and mirrors of water at home and in their surroundings.

• Children less than 12 yo who know how to swim drown more by incidents involving pool pump suction.

• Children over 10 years old and adults drown more in natural waters such as rivers, dams and beaches.

ATTENTION

100% in children, the distance of one arm’s lenght, even in the presence of lifeguards!

The drowning PROBLEM - Where and How?

Estimation of drowning death locations in Brazil (SOBRASA - 2021)

Natural Waters – 80,4%

Fresh Water - 70%

25% rivers with current 20% dam

9% river backwater

5% lakes

5% floods

3% bays

1,5% waterfalls

1,5% strems

Ocean Beaches – 10,4%

Non-Natural Waters 8.5%

1% toilets, water tanks, buchets and similar 2% stormwater drains

3,5% Swimming pools

2% wells

During Boat use - 2,1%

UNINTENTIONAL(90%) 2.3/100.000 pop

W65 – Bathtub drowning – 0,2%

W66 – Bathtub drowning due to a fall – 0,1%

W67 – Swimming pool drowning – 2,3%

W68 – Drowning in a pool due to a fall – 1,2%

W69 - Drowning in natural waters– 41,0%

W70 – Drowning in natural Waters due to a fall – 3,5%

W73 - Other specific drownings– 3,7%

W74 - Drowning with unspecified location– 35,7%

V90 – Boat accident resulting in drowning– 1,6%

INTENTIONAL (3.3%)

X71 - Suicide – 2%

X92 - Homicide – 1%

V92 – Drowning during transport without a boating accident w/ vessel– 0,5%

UNKNOWN INTENT (6,7%)

The drowning PROBLEM - Regions and States of Brazil

In 2021, the Southeast region had the lowest risk (1.8/100,000 inhab.) of drowning deaths and the North region the highest risk (5.1/100,000 inhab.).

States of Brazil Deaths/100.000 Pop 24-year review (1998-2009 e 2010 a 2021)

Reduction, Unchanged or

in

Comparing 2 distinct periods of mortality per 100,000 inhabitants in the States

Period 1 (1998 to 2009) and period 2 (2010 to 2021)

• 34% reduction in drowning mortality in Brazil in 24 years

In an analysis of the average among the 27 states:

• Reduction in the number of deaths in 21 states,

• 4 remained unchanged, and

• 2 increased mortality.

HIGHLIGHT in state mortality (% of deaths/100,000pop)

Greater reduction: SP (69%), DF (68%), RJ (64%), PE (58%), PR (56%), RS (54%), SC (50%) e RR (48%). Increase: Maranhão (23%) e Pará (19%).

TO

David Szpilman. Data tabulated based on the Mortality Information System (MIS)year 2021 - Ministry of Health - DATASUSaccessed in July 2023. (*) For change in reduction or increase we consider significant values greater than 10%. All cases of drowning (intentional or not) were considered

The drowning PROBLEM

(2021)

Evolution in the reduction of mortality per 100,000 inhabitants. in the states, over 40 years

In 2021, on average, the Federal District had the lowest death rate per resident population (1.4/100,000pop), followed by Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The states of Roraima (8.0), Amapá (6.5), Amazonas (7.0) presented the highest rates. In Partnership with:

The drowning PROBLEM– Brazilian Municipalities (2021)

With a total of 5,568 Brazilian municipalities, death by drowning affected 2,232 of them (40%).

The occurrence of deaths in Brazilian municipalities shows an immense variation from, zero drowning deaths in 3,336 Brazilian municipalities to 229 deaths/100,000 inhabitants in Itanhaém, São Paulo. The list of all municipalities, their absolute death rates (table), and drowning risk per inhabitants in the year 2021 can be viewed by clicking on the table.

Below is a list of the 10 highest mortality rates in municipalities.

It is worth noting the impossibility of accounting for the floating population (vacationers and summer visitors), in coastal/beach areas, where some municipalities can multiply their population by up to 100 times, and the bias of local seasonality (dry spell, natural disasters such as floods, shipwrecks). These are bias factors in the data analysis.

The drowning PROBLEM – Tourism (2020)

3% of all drowning deaths are tourists

Where does it come from?

31% São Paulo

27% Brasília

12% Rio Grande do Sul

10% Paraná others

Necessary Intervention

Education in the state of origin

PREVENTION IS EDUCATION

Kim at school

Places of highest OCCURRENCE of tourist drownings?

22% Santa Catarina

9% Minas Gerais

9% Para

9% Amapa outros

Necessary intervention

More investments in Active Prevention (signaling) and Reactive Prevention (lifeguards)

The Drowning PROBLEM - Socioeconomic Assessment

Drowning does not choose race, social or economic class and affects everyone. However, access to good EDUCATION, directly related to income in our country, can reduce its occurrence.

On average, each drowning resulting in a fatality costs

€ 42,000

The relationship between per capita income (PCI) and number of deaths in Brazil (year 2006) shows: States with lower incomes below US$ 6,877 demonstrate a higher incidence of drowning deaths. The Federal District, with the highest PCI in the country (US$ 22,863) exhibits one of the lowest risks of drowning deaths.

The costs of drowning in Brazil

It quantifies the impact on society and can optimize the allocation of resources in public health policies, guide funding for research, and identify the diseases that most compromise the health budget.

On average, Brazil spends yearly € 226 millions on drowning deaths

In an evaluation from 2008 to 2011, the following were identified: 34,639 aquatic incidents recorded in the DATASUS system, of which 95.4% were drownings.

Of this total, 27,185 people died (mortality of 78.5%), of which 99% in the pre-hospital environment.

• 7,674 hospitalized people, consuming 36,001 days of stay in hospitals (average of 6.6 days/hospitalization) with a total cost of € 1,6 millions.

• The estimated cost for the Supplementary Health System (SHS) was € 396,000.

• The results of estimating the total direct and indirect cost (*) in the period from 2008 to 2011 was € 1.19 billion.

(*) Direct costs are those resulting from interventions Indirect costs include lost productivity associated with absenteeism or early mortality

The Drowning PROBLEM – RESCUES and HOSPITALIZATIONS

A total of 1,565,699 lifeguard interventions were studied from 2009 to 2015 (across 5 seasons at Santa Catarina beach).

1563.300 99,9%

1. Preventive actions - 1,563,300 (99.8%).

2.044 (0,1%)

355 (0,02%)

2. Recognizing a person in a situation of stress/distress and rescuing them - 2,044 (0.1%).

3. Need for medical assistance due to respiratory symptoms, isolated respiratory arrest or cardiorespiratory arrest – 355 (0.02%)

Estimated incidence of 1 rescue for 4,227 people at the beach, 1 drowning for 24,338 interventions and 1 Resuscitation for 617,142 at lifeguard-monitored beaches.

Out of the 2,044 rescues, 14 (0.7%) required respiratory or cardiorespiratory resuscitation. Among all the rescues; Grade 1=234 (65.9%); Grade 2=78 (22%), Grade 3=22 (6.2%), Grade 4=7 (2%), Grade 5=4 (1.1%), Grade 6=10 (2.8%).

Considering all interventions performed by lifeguards in a fully operational emergency system, the incidence of required resuscitation was one in every 112,000 actions (0.0009%).

Szpilman D, Oliveira RB, Mocellin O, Webber J. Is drowning a mere mater of resuscitation? Resuscitation 129 (2018) 103-106.

Fight Against the PROBLEM

simple actions Transform reality and reduce drownings effectively

Understand

in your area

1 3 2

Multiply prevention

by implementing and re-evaluating your results

Choose one action or programme that has the greatest impact on your local problem

Any action can save a life, no matter how small it may seem

THE PROBLEM – 3,5% of the total drowning deaths in Brazil

• 55% of all drowning deaths occur among those aged 1 to 9 years.

• The occurrence during leisure in the pool is 2 times more frequent than the accidental fall.

• In the age of 1 to 4 years, home and swimming pools represent 87% of the place of death.

• The most affected age group is 1 to 4 years old (48%).

• Children aged 5 to 12 who can swim are more prone to drowning due to swimming pool pump suction (estimated at 28% of the total in swimming pools)

• Drownings occur in residential swimming pools (49%), clubs and gyms (10%), schools (7%) and other locations

• Boys die 2 times more often in swimming pools

• 44% occur in the summer period, indicating that impactful seasonal campaigns could be concentrated immediately before this selected period.

• The estimated risk of death in swimming pools is 1 in every 12,782 swimming pools in a year.

• An average expenditure of € 5,3 million per year is estimated for a drowning fatalities in swimming pools.

• The Southeast region has the highest occurrence of drownings in swimming pools (42%), although the greatest risk is in the Central-West region, possibly due to a greater number of swimming pools.

The POOL+SAFE program created in 2013 by SOBRASA reduces drowning incidents in its surroundings through the education of swimming instructors and students.

Beaches - Understanding, Planning and Intervening

THE PROBLEM – 10.4% of the total drowning fatalities in Brazil

• An estimated 575 drowning deaths per year

• The most affected age group is 15 to 49 years old (58%).

• More than 50% of the drowning victims claim to know how to swim.

• More than 90% occur in rip currents

• Men die an average of 12 times more often.

• 44% occur in the summer season

• Beaches are the places with the highest number of rescues, with an estimated number of more than 56,000 rescues per year

• An estimated 15,000 lifeguards work on the beaches during the summer.

1 3

The prevention program – BEACHES + SAFE, created in 1999 by SOBRASA, reduces drownings on beaches through the education of surfers, water sports enthusiastic, and healthcare professionals.

2

PLANNING INTERVENTIONS

IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS AND REASSESSING

Preparation, Prevention, Reaction and Mitigation

Do not enter the water with Red flag.

Respect the Signs

NEVER enter the water

save, throw a floating object, and wait for the professional to arrive

Beach with lifeguards on duty, only

If you get caught in a rip current, stay calm, don't fight, float and wave for help.

Rivers, lakes and dams - Understanding, Planning and Intervening

1

THE PROBLEM - 70% of all drowning fatalities in Brazil

• 11 deaths per day in Brazil.

• Rivers are the most common places, followed by dams

• 50% of the drowned victims were swimming/playing in the river or fishing (16%).

• The reasons for drowning according to witnesses were difficulties when swimming (29%), sudden deepening (18%) and falling from a boat (16%).

• The use of alcohol is responsible for the reduction in risk assessment and overestimation of individual limits in more than 20% of cases.

• The age group above 10 years is the most affected (peak at 15-19 years-18%)

• Men die an average of 9 times more than women.

• 47% occur on weekends.

The prevention program – MUNICIPALITIES + RESILIENT IN DROWNING – created in 2015 by SOBRASA aims to reduce drowning incidents in rivers, lakes and dams through safety consulting to municipalities bathed by watersheds, making them more resilient. CLICK

IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS AND REASSESSING Preparation, Prevention, Reaction and Mitigation

Respect the Signs

If you are going to help: Avoid going into the water to help, CALL 193, THROW floating material and wait for a professional to arrive

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

2

PLANNING INTERVENTIONS

Fast-flowing rivers DO NOT ENTER Calm rivers: water at the KNEE LEVEL maximum

100% supervision by those who know how to help, and NEVER enter the water drunk or diving headfirst.

If on a boat WEAR A LIFE JACKET

Help by calling 193

If you are in danger: Keep calm, FLOAT & WAVE for help and DO NOT swim against the current.

Floods - Understanding, Planning and Intervening

THE PROBLEM - 5% of all drowning fatalities in Brazil

• Between 1,990 and 2,000, floods were the second most recurrent disaster in Brazil, affecting 30% of all disasters and the most responsible cause of death (44% of the total).

• Drowning is the leading cause of death, and it exceeds the other disasters combined by 10 times.

• Deforestation, poor waste management, and population density contribute to the increase in flooding situations.

• Among the causes of drownings, flooding is the disaster with the most significant economic impact.

The KIM AT SCHOOL program - created in 2010 by SOBRASA, reduces drowning incidents in FLOODS through education in primary schools.

IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS AND REASSESSING Preparation, Prevention, Reaction and Mitigation

Prevention is the most efficient way to reduce these occurrences:

• Floods happen very quickly, do not risk your life and the lives of your family

• Consult the Civil Defense before choosing, buying or building on a plot of land

• Pay attention to weather reports and Civil Defense guidelines

• Use high trash bins away from streets and gutters

SOBRASA – Who We Are?

Created in 1995, it represents Brazil with the International Life Saving Federation - ILS.

Board of directors

14 Directors, 36 Heads of Department, 128 Consultants

Present in the 27 states of the federation

MISSION

Uniting Brazil to reduce drowning. VISION

Gathering, producing and sharing knowledge for drowning reduction. VALUES

Reliability - Determination

Altruism - Proactivity - generosity

3,500 volunteers

CLICK TO FIND OUT OUR ACTION IN 2022

All of them worked on a voluntary basis with no perception of fees or allowances.

A 48% reduction in drowning deaths over 42 years (1979-2021) indicates a successful path in the fight against this endemic problem.

More than

230,000 followers on social media

KNOW US IN A BLINK

5

4

5

28 years uniting experts and lifeguards with a single mission: Reduce drownings. 1

2 Free drowning prevention programs nationwide.

3

Prevention, rescue and first aid protocols, supporting our lifeguards on a daily basis.

Partnership with more than 45 national and international institutions (WHO, ILS, Blue Flag, CBDA, ABRAMEDE, CREF, LIGABOM, National Civil Defense, MGB, EMERGENCY Magazine, ISN, SBAIT, INMETRO among others).

Reliable, determined, altruistic, proactive, and generous volunteers, united by a common cause.

5

1

of SOBRASA’s most impactful interventions

125 major prevention actions reaching more than 110 million people in Brazil and Latin countries.

2 A portal with more than 3 GB of free technical materials.

4

5

3

Leadership & participation in key national and international drowning protocols and strategies.

345 Scientific paper published in the Water Safety field.

2,300 Participation in scientific and sporting events.

REASONS to understand the IMPORTANCE of SOBRASA

5,339

224,380

10,055 hours worked by our volunteers

285 Instructions

83

320

673,140 Family indirectly reached

4,500 Swimming Pool Actions

SOCIAL MEDIA

33,128 posts on social media

193,618 Followers (2022) on social media

651 REPORTS TVs, Radios, Newspapers and Digitals.

€1,5 milion generated from spontaneous media

116 million people reached

“

“APPROVED

“Gold Seal”

ABOUT THIS BRAZIL BULLETIN – 2023

The reality of the data presented here doesn’t highlight a new issue in our country, but rather an old and serious endemic problem that is little known and publicized in our society.

This Bulletin was prepared by SOBRASA and its Board of directors 2023-26 in July 2023, based on the year 2021 and some previous information that did not show any changes, and aims to document the size of the problem on drownings and aquatic incidents in Brazil, and identify causes and point out prevention, rescue and mitigation solutions

The fight to reduce these incidents belongs to everyone who wishes to join this challenge – SAFER WATERS! Therefore, the use of this information and its content can and should be distributed free of charge and openly, as long as its original structure and proper credits are maintained.

Why a two-year gap between the current date and the latest year of data available in DATASUS?

The data retrieved from DATASUS, whether VITAL STATISTICS (mortality) and EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND MORBIDITY (Hospital Morbidity of SUS (SIH/SUS)) is manually entered after the annual closure of death certificates (mortality) and hospitalization billing to the SUS system, resulting in a two-years gap. It’s important to emphasize that DATASUS maintains one of the most up-to-date and comprehensive databases in the field worldwide and free access on-line.

Our

mascots thank you

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In this year of 2023, we have gained many new partners and volunteers and we are celebrating life at its peak for the reduction of drownings in these 28 years of existence. In this, our greatest moment of unity and fight, the entire board of directors wishes to:

THANK DHL, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, and SOSSUL for believing that our mission is not a dream, but a reality, that transforms the lives of many families in Brazil from north to south, and from east to west in this continental country that suffers daily with the death and loss of loved ones from 15 of its children - THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

THANK YOU to everyone who is with us on this wonderful and successful mission – our 3,500 volunteers – THANK YOU SO MUCH!

THANK YOU to everyone who has been with us in this 28-year fight – our prevention team has part of your DNA – THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Do you know the one over there, in yellow in the photo? That's YOU, without a doubt!

Words will not reflect the GRATITUDE for the tireless work of our VOLUNTEERS, but still - THANK YOU, THANK YOU and THANK YOU!

Brazilian Lifesaving Society Sobrasa

References

1. David Szpilman. Data and analysis based on data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) tabulated in Tabwin - Ministry of Health - DATASUS - 2023. Online Access July 2023 http://www2.datasus.gov.br/DATASUS/index.php, Latest data available year 2021

2. Schinda A, Deitos RA, Szpilman D, Carniatto I. Drowning prevention measures directed at a river basin: a new strategy. World Conference on Drowning Prevention - ILS, Malaysia 2015, Book of Abstract, PREVENTION Section, p181. ISBN: 978-0-909689-00-1

3. Preventing drowning: an implementation guide. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017 Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

4. Szpilman D, Sempsrott J, Schmidt A. Drowning. BMJ Best Practice. Nov 2017. http://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/657 Last accessed 19 April 2018

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14. Szpilman D, Palacios-Aguilar J, Barcala-Furelos R, Baker S, Dunne C, Peden AE, Brander R, Claesson A, Avramidis S, Leavy J, Luckhaus JL, Manino LA, Marques O, Nyitrai NJ, Pascual-Gomez LM, Springer L, Stanley TJ, Venema AM, Queiroga AC. Drowning and aquatic injuries dictionary. Resuscitation Plus. Volume 5, March 2021, 100072.

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