According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four or 26% of Latino adults in the United States do not know how to swim, compared to only 6% of white adults. Additionally, three in four Hispanic adults (72%) have never taken a swimming class, which increases your risk of drowning.
The data belongs to the report “Vital Signs: Drowning Death Rates, Self-Reported Swimming Ability, Swimming Lesson Participation, and Recreational Water Exposure — United States, 2019–2023” .
There it is stated that this significant difference highlights a worrying disparity that puts a considerable part of the population at risk. And that the lack of access to affordable and accessible swimming programs is a crucial factor that perpetuates these inequalities.
The study reveals that only 28.1% of Latino adults have taken swimming lessons, compared to 51.8% of white adults.
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Drowning continues to be the main cause of unintentional death
Nationally, drowning rates have also increased in recent years. Drowning remains the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14, according to data collected by the CDC.
“Approximately 4,000 people die each year from unintentional drowning in the United States, with some population groups disproportionately affected. Drowning is one of the three leading causes of unintentional injury death among people ages 5 to 34,” it emphasizes.
➜ Enjoy the summer safely: Tips for Swimming Safely in North Carolina Rivers
North Carolina with a similar trend, what is the outlook among Hispanics?
In North Carolina, statistics reflect similar trends. From 2000 to 2023, 184 rip current-related drownings were recorded in the Carolinas, with a significantly higher proportion of male victims (86%).
According to the Health Department, Enlace Latino NC , drowning death statistics in North Carolina, between 2022 and 2024, reveal disparities between different racial and ethnic communities. In this period, Hispanics represented 8.61% of deaths in 2022, with a total of 13 cases. In 2023, although the number of Hispanic deaths decreased to 8, the percentage rose slightly to 9.09%. To date in 2024, 3 Hispanic deaths have been recorded, equivalent to 9.68% of total deaths.
The highest percentage of drowning deaths occurs in the non-Hispanic white community, followed by the black community. In comparison, the non-Hispanic white population shows a fluctuation in drowning death rates: 58.28% in 2022, 55% in 2023, and a notable increase to 74.19% in 2024.
Among the non-Hispanic black community, drowning death statistics also show a worrying trend. In 2022, it accounted for 23.84% of drowning deaths, with a total of 36 cases. During 2023, this number decreased to 30 deaths, making up 25% of the total drowning deaths in that year.
These numbers underscore the urgency of culturally appropriate intervention strategies to mitigate these risks in all communities, with a special focus on Hispanics, who face unique challenges in water safety access and education.
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After the storm
A year ago, Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina. The Latino community responded with something stronger than the storm: solidarity.
🎧 In this episode, learn how Latino organizations transformed crisis into resilience.
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