The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark
Abstract Background Effective interventions to reduce drowning incidents require accurate and reliable data for scientific analysis. However, the lack of high-quality evidence and the variability in drowning terminology, definitions, and outcomes present significant challenges in assessing studies t...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-025-02483-8 |
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| author | Niklas Breindahl Kasper Bitzer Oliver B. Sørensen Alexander Wildenschild Signe A. Wolthers Tim Lindskou Jacob Steinmetz Stig N. F. Blomberg Helle C. Christensen the Danish Drowning Validation Group |
| author_facet | Niklas Breindahl Kasper Bitzer Oliver B. Sørensen Alexander Wildenschild Signe A. Wolthers Tim Lindskou Jacob Steinmetz Stig N. F. Blomberg Helle C. Christensen the Danish Drowning Validation Group |
| author_sort | Niklas Breindahl |
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| description | Abstract Background Effective interventions to reduce drowning incidents require accurate and reliable data for scientific analysis. However, the lack of high-quality evidence and the variability in drowning terminology, definitions, and outcomes present significant challenges in assessing studies to inform drowning guidelines. Many drowning reports use inappropriate classifications for drowning incidents, which significantly contributes to the underreporting of drowning. In particular, non-fatal drowning incidents are underreported because many countries do not routinely collect this data. The Danish Drowning Cohort The Danish Drowning Cohort was established in 2016 to facilitate research to improve preventative, rescue, and treatment interventions to reduce the incidence, mortality, and morbidity of drowning. The Danish Drowning Cohort contains nationwide data on all fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents treated by the Danish Emergency Medical Services. Data are extracted from the Danish prehospital electronic medical record using a text-search algorithm (Danish Drowning Formula) and a manual validation process. The WHO definition of drowning, supported by the clarification statement for non-fatal drowning, is used as the case definition to identify drowning. All drowning patients are included, including unwitnessed incidents, non-conveyed patients, patients declared dead prehospital, or patients with obvious clinical signs of irreversible death. This method allows syndromic surveillance and monitors a nationwide cohort of fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in near-real time to inform future prevention strategies. The Danish Drowning Cohort complies with the Utstein style for drowning reporting guidelines. The 30-day mortality is obtained through the Civil Personal Register to differentiate between fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents. In addition to prehospital data, new data linkages with other Danish registries via the patient’s civil registration number will enable the examination of various additional factors associated with drowning risk. Conclusion The Danish Drowning Cohort contains nationwide prehospital data on all fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents treated by the Danish Emergency Medical Service. It is a basis for all research on drowning in Denmark and may improve preventative, rescue, and treatment interventions to reduce the incidence, mortality, and morbidity of drowning. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-adb1c3c708874ef09a83b537d2b2c240 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2288 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| spelling | doaj-art-adb1c3c708874ef09a83b537d2b2c2402025-02-02T12:30:13ZengBMCBMC Medical Research Methodology1471-22882025-01-0125111510.1186/s12874-025-02483-8The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in DenmarkNiklas Breindahl0Kasper Bitzer1Oliver B. Sørensen2Alexander Wildenschild3Signe A. Wolthers4Tim Lindskou5Jacob Steinmetz6Stig N. F. Blomberg7Helle C. Christensen8the Danish Drowning Validation Group9Prehospital Center Region ZealandPrehospital Center Region ZealandThe Prehospital Research Unit, Region of Southern Denmark, Odense University HospitalPrehospital Center Region ZealandPrehospital Center Region ZealandCentre for Prehospital and Emergency Research, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg UniversityDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of CopenhagenPrehospital Center Region ZealandPrehospital Center Region ZealandPrehospital Center Region ZealandAbstract Background Effective interventions to reduce drowning incidents require accurate and reliable data for scientific analysis. However, the lack of high-quality evidence and the variability in drowning terminology, definitions, and outcomes present significant challenges in assessing studies to inform drowning guidelines. Many drowning reports use inappropriate classifications for drowning incidents, which significantly contributes to the underreporting of drowning. In particular, non-fatal drowning incidents are underreported because many countries do not routinely collect this data. The Danish Drowning Cohort The Danish Drowning Cohort was established in 2016 to facilitate research to improve preventative, rescue, and treatment interventions to reduce the incidence, mortality, and morbidity of drowning. The Danish Drowning Cohort contains nationwide data on all fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents treated by the Danish Emergency Medical Services. Data are extracted from the Danish prehospital electronic medical record using a text-search algorithm (Danish Drowning Formula) and a manual validation process. The WHO definition of drowning, supported by the clarification statement for non-fatal drowning, is used as the case definition to identify drowning. All drowning patients are included, including unwitnessed incidents, non-conveyed patients, patients declared dead prehospital, or patients with obvious clinical signs of irreversible death. This method allows syndromic surveillance and monitors a nationwide cohort of fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in near-real time to inform future prevention strategies. The Danish Drowning Cohort complies with the Utstein style for drowning reporting guidelines. The 30-day mortality is obtained through the Civil Personal Register to differentiate between fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents. In addition to prehospital data, new data linkages with other Danish registries via the patient’s civil registration number will enable the examination of various additional factors associated with drowning risk. Conclusion The Danish Drowning Cohort contains nationwide prehospital data on all fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents treated by the Danish Emergency Medical Service. It is a basis for all research on drowning in Denmark and may improve preventative, rescue, and treatment interventions to reduce the incidence, mortality, and morbidity of drowning. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-025-02483-8Danish drowning formulaSyndromic surveillanceRegisterDatabaseEmergency medical servicesElectronic medical records |
| spellingShingle | Niklas Breindahl Kasper Bitzer Oliver B. Sørensen Alexander Wildenschild Signe A. Wolthers Tim Lindskou Jacob Steinmetz Stig N. F. Blomberg Helle C. Christensen the Danish Drowning Validation Group The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark BMC Medical Research Methodology Danish drowning formula Syndromic surveillance Register Database Emergency medical services Electronic medical records |
| title | The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark |
| title_full | The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark |
| title_fullStr | The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark |
| title_short | The Danish Drowning Cohort: Utstein-style data from fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents in Denmark |
| title_sort | danish drowning cohort utstein style data from fatal and non fatal drowning incidents in denmark |
| topic | Danish drowning formula Syndromic surveillance Register Database Emergency medical services Electronic medical records |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-025-02483-8 |
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