Citation

Barcala-Furelos R, Sanz-Arribas I, Sánchez-Lloria P, Izquierdo V, Martínez-Isasi S, Aranda-García S, Rodríguez-Núñez A, Muñoz-Barús I. Educ Medica 2023; 24(5).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Fundación Privada Educación Médica, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.edumed.2023.100821

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Popular ideology, dissemination by social networks or the "custom" have fostered numerous myths about drowning and aquatic incidents that are not based on evidence and may be harmful or limit the understanding of this phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to analyze the origin of the most frequent myths related to aquatic incidents and to offer a scientific perspective for their refutation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve experts in the health sciences by means of a nominal group carried out the screening of concepts in three phases: 1st review of scientific literature in PUBMED in which erroneous or obsolete concepts related to incidents in aquatic environments were addressed, 2nd phase the nominal group elaborated an initial list of 16 items to be analyzed, 3rd phase the final list was refined to 1 by universal consensus of the nominal group.

RESULTS: Through expert consensus and available evidence, ten items were identified as potential generators of misconceptions or myths: the "digestion cut-off", the use of floats to prevent drowning, hyperventilating before diving, the implications of the red flag on beaches, the drowning process, the main role of lifeguards, urinating on jellyfish stings, drowning terminology, and resuscitation of drowned persons.

CONCLUSION: In the field of drowning, obsolete terminology continues to be used and there are erroneous popular beliefs that should be updated and demystified, as this could contribute to reduce the incidence of drowning and its sequelae.

Language: en

Keywords

Drowning; Near-drowning; Digestion cut; Dry drowning; First aid; Myths