More Drowning Accidents – Especially Among Older Men
There has been an increase in the number of drowning accidents, according to a new report. The increase is particularly attributed to older men swimming at the beach or going on boat trips.
In 2022, 67 people died in drowning accidents in Denmark compared to 50 people in 2021. The increase is mainly due to more drowning accidents among older men.
This is stated in the national drowning statistics compiled by the National Institute of Public Health for TrygFonden. The statistics are published annually and show, among other things, the extent and causes of drowning accidents in Denmark.
The collection of death certificates from The Register of Causes of Death is completed approximately one year after the end of a calendar year. Therefore, it takes a little extra time before the data are ready for publication, which means that it is now the 2022 data that are being published.
The victim in one in five drowning accidents in 2022 was a man aged 75 or over. In comparison, it was one in ten in 2021.
According to the report’s lead author and academic staff member at the National Institute of Public Health, Hannah Ahrensberg, it is not unusual for the largest proportion of drowning accidents to occur among men, especially among middle-aged and older men:
“But what is special about 2022 is that we see a significant increase among men aged 75 and over. It may be coincidences, but it may also be due to an increase in the number of older people who are more active and spend more time by the water, where they swim or fall overboard from their leisure boat. A combination of more active older people and a reduced functional level can therefore be a possible explanation.”
Fewer Drowning Accidents Due to Alcohol and Drugs
While the number of drowning accidents has generally increased, there has also been a decrease in the proportion of drowning accidents related to alcohol or drugs. In 2022, alcohol or drugs were involved in 27 percent of all drowning accidents. In comparison, alcohol and drugs were a contributing cause in almost every second drowning accident in 2021.
“It is positive that the proportion has fallen and is now at a level similar to previous years. However, we have seen fluctuations before and therefore cannot say whether it is a decline that will continue, but one can certainly hope so,” says Hannah Ahrensberg.
The report is part of TrygFonden’s overall effort “Respect for Water,” which aims to prevent drowning accidents in Denmark.
In addition to the 67 fatal drowning accidents caused by an accident, 34 others died in 2022 from suicide by drowning. For 11 people, the cause of death was undetermined. This means that a total of 112 people died by drowning in 2022.
Contact: Hannah Ahrensberg, academic staff member, phone: 6550 7703, email: hana@sdu.dk, and Maria Holst Algren, senior advisor, phone: 6550 7774, email: maho@sdu.dk, National Institute of Public Health, SDU.