A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed a significant disparity in swimming ability among adults in the United States, with potentially life-threatening consequences. According to the study, one in four Latino adults (26%) do not know how to swim, compared to only 6% of white adults. This stark difference highlights a concerning inequality that puts a substantial portion of the population at risk of drowning.
The report, titled “Vital Signs: Drowning Death Rates, Self-Reported Swimming Ability, Swimming Lesson Participation, and Recreational Water Exposure — United States, 2019-2023,” also found that 72% of Hispanic adults have never taken a swimming class. This lack of formal instruction further increases their risk of drowning. The study shows that only 28.1% of Latino adults have participated in swimming lessons, compared to 51.8% of white adults.
These disparities are reflected in drowning statistics across the United States. Drowning remains the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause for children ages 5 to 14. Approximately 4,000 people die each year from unintentional drowning in the country, with some population groups disproportionately affected.
In North Carolina, similar trends are observed. Between 2022 and 2024, Hispanics represented a significant portion of drowning deaths, with percentages ranging from 8.61% to 9.68%. While the non-Hispanic white population shows the highest percentage of drowning deaths, followed by the black community, the Hispanic community faces unique challenges in water safety access and education.
These findings underscore the urgent need for culturally appropriate intervention strategies to address these disparities and improve water safety education and access for all communities, with a particular focus on the Hispanic population.
See “One in four Latino adults in the United States does not know how to swim” (June 22, 2024)
