Treading water: African Americans have high drowning statistics

WAVY TV 10
22 May 201304:57
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis special report delves into the alarming trend of African-American children drowning at nearly three times the rate of white children. It explores historical, cultural, and physical barriers such as fear, hair concerns, and lack of access to swimming pools. Efforts to increase swimming education and accessibility are highlighted, emphasizing the importance of overcoming these challenges to save lives.

Takeaways
  • 📊 Drowning Rates: African-American children drown at a rate nearly three times that of white children.
  • 🏊‍♂️ Historical Barriers: Historical racial segregation led to limited access to safe swimming facilities, contributing to a lack of swimming skills in the African-American community.
  • 🧐 Research Update: As of 2013, racial barriers to swimming are no longer a significant issue, yet other factors persist.
  • 🔍 Special Report Focus: The report 'Treading Water' by Lauren Compton investigates the reasons behind the disparity in swimming abilities among African-Americans.
  • 🏋️‍♀️ Personal Stories: Individuals like Betty Potts, who only recently became comfortable with swimming, highlight the generational fear of water passed down in African-American families.
  • 🤔 Fear as a Barrier: USA Swimming's research indicates that fear is a significant barrier to learning to swim, especially when parents do not swim.
  • 🔢 Stats on Swimming Ability: 70% of African-American children have low swimming ability or cannot swim at all, according to USA Swimming.
  • 🌊 Drowning Incidents: The report cites the high number of African-American drownings in Hampton Roads, which can further instill fear of water.
  • 👩‍🦱 Hair Concerns: Concerns over hair and its interaction with pool chemicals are a significant barrier for African-American women learning to swim.
  • 🏡 Lack of Access: Limited access to pools contributes to the high number of drownings in open water, as children may seek out unsafe swimming areas.
  • 🏊‍♂️ Cultural Impact: The aquatics director at Hampton University, Jodi Jensen, points out cultural issues as a barrier and the need for social acceptance of swimming.
  • 🏛️ Community Efforts: Cities like Norfolk are making swimming more accessible through free or low-cost swimming programs and transportation for children.
  • 📈 Positive Change: There is a growing trend of African-American students joining swim teams, indicating a shift in overcoming barriers.
  • 📚 Resources Available: The report concludes by encouraging those who do not know how to swim to seek out resources such as local YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, or recreation centers.
Q & A

  • What is the startling trend in the African-American community regarding drowning rates?

    -African-American children drown at a rate nearly three times that of white children.

  • What historical factors may have contributed to the current swimming issues in the African-American community?

    -During the days of racial segregation, African-Americans had to go to faulty, unsafe, or segregated pools, or had nowhere to go at all, which may have contributed to a fear of swimming that has been passed down through generations.

  • What does the research indicate about the current barriers to African-Americans learning to swim?

    -The research indicates that racial segregation is no longer a barrier, but fear and physical appearance concerns are significant factors preventing African-Americans from learning to swim.

  • Why is fear a significant barrier for black children learning to swim according to USA Swimming?

    -Fear is a strong barrier because it is often passed down from parents who do not swim, and if a parent doesn't swim, there is only a 13% chance their child will learn.

  • What percentage of African-American children have low swimming ability or cannot swim at all according to USA Swimming's study?

    -70 percent of African-American children have low swimming ability or cannot swim at all.

  • How does the fear of drowning impact the willingness of children to learn to swim?

    -The fear of drowning, compounded by reports of actual drownings, keeps many children away from the water and makes them avoid learning to swim.

  • What is one of the physical appearance concerns that researchers found to be a barrier for African-American women learning to swim?

    -Concern over hair appearance is a significant barrier, as the chemicals in hair treatments like weaves or relaxers may not mix well with pool chemicals, and the process of restoring hair after swimming can be time-consuming and costly.

  • How does lack of access to a safe pool contribute to the high number of drownings in open water?

    -Without a safe place to swim, kids may go to open water areas like beaches, which often puts them in danger, and the drowning rate for African-Americans is three times higher in open water areas compared to swimming pools.

  • What is one initiative that cities like Norfolk are doing to make swimming accessible to everyone?

    -Norfolk provides free or low-cost swimming programs during the summer and school year, including transporting second-grade students from their schools for a five-day swimming lesson at one of the city pools, with transportation provided by Norfolk public schools.

  • What does Jodi Jensen, the aquatics director at Hampton University, plan to study regarding African-American college students?

    -Jensen plans to study what barriers keep African-American college students from learning to swim, with a focus on cultural issues and the desire for social acceptance.

  • What is the message from the special report 'Treading Water' regarding the importance of swimming for everyone?

    -The report emphasizes that drowning is colorblind and the importance of everyone, regardless of race, learning to swim to reap the rewards of this life-saving skill.

Outlines
00:00
🏊‍♂️ Drowning Trends in the African-American Community

This paragraph discusses the alarming trend of drowning among African-American children, which occurs at a rate nearly three times higher than that of white children. The issue is rooted in historical racial segregation, which led to African-Americans having limited access to safe swimming facilities. The report by Lauren Compton explores the reasons behind this disparity, including fear of swimming passed down through generations and the lack of swimming ability among African-American children. The USA Swimming study highlighted that only 13% of children learn to swim if their parents do not swim, and 70% of African-American children have low swimming ability or cannot swim at all. The paragraph also touches on the fear of drowning incidents and the physical appearance concerns related to hair and chemicals in pools as barriers to learning to swim.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Drowning Trends
Drowning trends refer to the patterns and rates at which individuals drown, particularly in the African-American community. In the video, it is highlighted that African-American children drown at a rate nearly three times that of white children. This alarming trend is a central theme of the video, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this disparity.
💡Racial Segregation
Racial segregation historically refers to the practice of separating people based on race, which in the context of the video, affected access to swimming pools. African-Americans had to go to faulty, unsafe, or segregated pools, or had nowhere to go at all. This historical context is crucial in understanding the roots of the current swimming disparities.
💡Fear
Fear is identified as one of the strongest barriers preventing black children from learning to swim. It is passed on from generation to generation, and if a parent doesn't swim, there is only a 13% chance their child will learn. This fear is deeply rooted in the community's history and experiences, and is a significant factor in the high drowning rates.
💡Low Swimming Ability
Low swimming ability or the inability to swim at all is a critical issue highlighted in the video. It is stated that 70 percent of African-American children have low swimming ability, which directly contributes to the high drowning rates. This statistic underscores the need for swimming education and access.
💡Physical Appearance
Physical appearance, particularly hair, is mentioned as a barrier to swimming among African-American women. Concerns over how hair looks when wet, and the potential damage from pool chemicals, can deter individuals from swimming. This is a specific example of how personal concerns can intersect with broader societal issues.
💡Access
Access to swimming pools is a key issue in the video. Lack of access contributes to the high number of drownings in open water, as children resort to swimming in potentially dangerous environments. The video discusses how providing safe places to swim can help mitigate this risk.
💡Cultural Issues
Cultural issues are identified as a barrier to learning to swim, particularly among African-American college students. The video suggests that societal norms and expectations play a role in deterring individuals from participating in swimming, which is a broader reflection of societal attitudes towards swimming and water safety.
💡Open Water Drownings
Open water drownings refer to incidents that occur in natural bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and oceans. The video notes that the drowning rate for African-Americans is three times higher in open water areas compared to swimming pools, highlighting the increased risk associated with swimming in these environments.
💡Swimming Programs
Swimming programs, such as those offered by cities like Norfolk, are presented as a solution to increase access and education. These programs, which include free or low-cost lessons, are aimed at making swimming more accessible to everyone, thereby reducing the risk of drowning.
💡Life-Saving Skill
The ability to swim is described as a life-saving skill in the video. The emphasis on this skill underscores the importance of swimming education in preventing drowning incidents. The video encourages viewers to seek out resources to learn or improve swimming abilities.
💡Communication
Communication is highlighted as a means to address the issue of drowning trends. The video suggests that opening up conversations about swimming and water safety can help change perceptions and behaviors, ultimately contributing to a reduction in drowning incidents.
Highlights

African-American children drown at a rate nearly three times that of white children.

Racial segregation historically limited access to safe swimming pools for African-Americans.

Research indicates that racial segregation is no longer a barrier to learning to swim in 2013.

Fear of swimming is a significant barrier, passed down from generation to generation.

USA Swimming study: If a parent doesn't swim, there's only a 13% chance their child will learn.

70 percent of African American children have low swimming ability or cannot swim at all.

20 people drowned in Hampton Roads last year, with 10 being African Americans.

Fear of drowning incidents can deter children from approaching water.

Physical appearance, particularly hair concerns, is a barrier for African-American women.

Chemicals in hair treatments can react negatively with pool chemicals.

Lack of access to a pool contributes to high drowning rates in open water areas.

Drowning rate for African-Americans is three times higher in open water areas vs. swimming pools.

Cultural issues and social acceptance play a role in the reluctance to learn swimming.

Jensen from Hampton University plans to study barriers to swimming among African-American college students.

Norfolk offers free or low-cost swimming programs to make swimming accessible to everyone.

Betty Potts and her kids enjoy swimming, showing that old fears can fade and statistics can change.

Local resources such as YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, or rec centers can help those who don't know how to swim.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
Drowning TrendsAfrican-AmericanSwimming SkillsCultural BarriersFear of WaterGenerational ImpactSwimming EducationPhysical AppearanceAccess to PoolsCommunity OutreachWater Safety