Perceptions of the risk of drowning at surf beaches among New Zealand youth

In many countries, beaches are a high-risk location for drowning. In New Zealand, youth and young adults are particularly at risk of drowning at beaches, accounting for 17.4% of drowning deaths and 18.4% of rescues at surf beaches between 2008 and 2013, over 90% of fatalities were male. This study e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of injury control and safety promotion 2018-12, Vol.25 (4), p.365-371
Main Authors: Willcox-Pidgeon, Stacey, Kool, Bridget, Moran, Kevin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adults
Bathing Beaches
Beaches
Cross-Sectional Studies
Drowning
Drowning - psychology
Female
Females
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Male
Males
New Zealand
protection motivation theory
Risk
Risk perception
Self Efficacy
Students
Surf
surf safety
Surveys and Questionnaires
Swimming - psychology
Water Sports
Young adults
Youth
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Summary:In many countries, beaches are a high-risk location for drowning. In New Zealand, youth and young adults are particularly at risk of drowning at beaches, accounting for 17.4% of drowning deaths and 18.4% of rescues at surf beaches between 2008 and 2013, over 90% of fatalities were male. This study explored New Zealand youth risk perceptions of drowning and their coping appraisal processes at a surf beach. A cross-sectional survey of high school students (n = 599) was conducted between February and April 2014. Females and non-New Zealand European students reported higher levels of perceived vulnerability and severity of drowning risk, and New Zealand European students reported higher levels of self-efficacy of preventive actions. By addressing the underlying causes of underestimation of risk and overestimation of ability, these findings can be utilized to increase awareness and to enhance water safety risk strategies for youth, especially males, in the surf beach setting.
ISSN:1745-7300
1745-7319
DOI:10.1080/17457300.2018.1431939