Drowning is defined as the process of experiencing respiratory impairment due to submersion or immersion in liquid. When drowning is fatal, it results in death. In cases of non-fatal drowning, the respiratory impairment is halted before death occurs. Non-fatal drowning incidents can lead to outcomes ranging from complete recovery with no injuries to severe injuries or permanent disability. Although drowning is most commonly associated with fatalities, non-fatal drownings are much more frequent than drowning deaths each year.
Using the correct terminology when discussing drowning is essential for several reasons. It helps prevent misinformation, ensures proper medical diagnosis and treatment, improves data collection and research in Ontario and around the world, and facilitates clear communication among healthcare professionals, emergency responders, and the public. Inaccurate or outdated terms such as "dry/wet drowning," “secondary drowning” or "near drowning" can be misleading, potentially leading to misdiagnosis, delays in appropriate treatment, and confusion about what constitutes the actual drowning process.
The research process
Fatal Drowning
The drowning research process involves data collection, tabulation and analysis. A standardized data collection form and process is used to identify water-related deaths from the offices of the Chief Coroners and Medical Examiners in each province and territory. The scope of this research:
- Collects the data needed to understand the characteristics of the persons involved in aquatic incidents, including the circumstances and contributing factors under which these incidents occurred.
- Includes all deaths in each province and territory in Canada overall resulting from incidents "in, on or near water". "Near-water" incidents are included if the incident was closely related to water-based recreational, vocational or daily living activity, or if the presence of water appeared to contribute to the incident.
- Includes only unintentional deaths. It does not include deaths due to natural causes, suicide, or homicide.
Fatal drowning reports are produced based on this data.
Non-Fatal Drowning
Less data is available about non-fatal drowning; however, from available data we know that non-fatal drowning in Ontario is at least 4 times more common than fatal drowning. Data on non-fatal drowning in Ontario is obtained through a partnership with Public Health Ontario. Nationally, non-fatal drowning data is obtained through agreements with the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
The History of Drowning research
Before 1986, the Lifesaving Society conducted topic-specific research such as spinal injury research, national symposiums on cold water, aquatic emergency care, and alcohol in aquatics.
In 1986 the Society began comprehensive research on fatal drowning, and in 1988, the Ontario branch released the first annual report on drowning and water related injuries in Ontario.
In 1999, the Water Incident Research Alliance was established as an partnership between the Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canadian Red Cross Society, City of Toronto, Lifesaving Society Canada, Ontario Provincial Police and Parks and Recreation Ontario. This organization would become the Drowning Prevention Research Centre Canada (DPRC) in 2010, an independant non-profit.
Over the years, the Lifesaving Society and the DPRC have published regional and national drowning reports, participated in drowning conferences around the world, and created one of the largest drowning databases in the world. This work has been done in parallel to additional research and activism from other organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of formal drowning research in Canada.
Drowning: A Leading Cause of Death
A foundational 2014 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) says drowning is among the top causes of death for children worldwide. The WHO report identifies drowning as a major public health issue and calls on all countries to ramp up drowning prevention efforts. Download the Global report on drowning: preventing a leading killer.
More recently, the World Health Organization produced a status report on drowning prevention efforts. This report celebrates the great work happening around the world and identifies ways that we can do more. Download the Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention 2024.