Allison Falk

Major: Medical Sciences

Faculty Advisor: Erin Morgan and Isabell Sakamoto

Project Title:

Water Watchers –Attitudes and Behaviors on Water Safety due to Educational Attainment

Abstract

Objective: To identify attitudes and behaviors of parents/caregivers regarding adolescent water safety based off educational attainment through focus groups and interviews.

Participants: Washington State adult residents who provided childcare/supervision for an adolescent during the summer were eligible to participate in the study. There were 15 total participants. Participants identified what water safety meant to them, their concerns around water safety, and what supervision meant to them when they are with children around water.

Themes/Results: The six major themes were concerns for drowning/skill level and swimming ability of the child, concerns about swimming/supervision in large group settings, trusting supervision to lifeguards or others, risky behaviors of the child(ren) when in the water, distractions/being aware of distractions, and vigilance/being close to the child. Participants across all educational levels felt strongest about being vigilant with their children around the water and making sure to be close to the child. Participants with some college background noted highest importance for vigilance and maintaining close proximity to their children; 4-year degree participants identified trusting supervision to lifeguards and others as the most important factor; and graduate degree or professional degree participants noted vigilance and maintaining close proximity to their children and trusting supervision to lifeguards and others.

Conclusions: Attitudes and behaviors of all educational attainment levels demonstrate predominate themes of vigilance and maintaining close proximity to children in the water, and caution for who they trust to supervise their child while swimming.