Fencing which completely encloses all sides of a swimming pool and isolates it from the home is effective in preventing drowning of young children

Thompson DC, Rivara F

Published Online:

September 8, 2010

In most industrialized countries, drowning is one of the top killers of children, especially young children. Medical care offers little to help drowning victims, and thus survival must rely on prevention of the drowning. The review found no trials of pool fencing. However evidence from other studies found that pool fencing that adequately prevents children reaching the pool unsupervised can prevent about three-quarters of all child drownings in pools. Fencing which completely encircles the pool and isolates it from the house is much more effective than methods where children can still gain access to the pool through the house.

Abstract (click to read)

Background:

In most industrialized countries, drowning ranks second or third behind motor vehicles and fires as a cause of unintentional injury deaths to children under the age of 15. Death rates from drowning are highest in children less than five years old. Pool fencing is a passive environmental intervention designed to reduce unintended access to swimming pools and thus prevent drowning in the preschool age group. Because of the magnitude of the problem and the potential effectiveness of fencing, we decided to evaluate the effect of pool fencing as a drowning prevention strategy for young children.

Objectives:

To determine if pool fencing prevents drowning in children (under 14 years of age).

Search strategy:

We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group's Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, National Research Register, Zetoc and other specialist databases. We searched reference lists of relevant articles and contacted relevant organisations and experts. The searches were last updated in October 2006.

Selection criteria:

In order to be selected, a study had to be designed to evaluate pool fencing in a defined population and provide relevant and interpretable data that objectively measured the risk of drowning or near-drowning or provided rates of these outcomes in fenced and unfenced pools.

Data collection and analysis:

Data were extracted by two authors using a standard abstract form. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and incidence rates, were calculated for drowning and near-drowning.

Main results:

Three case-control studies met the selection criteria. The results of these studies indicate that pool fencing significantly reduces the risk of drowning. The OR for the risk of drowning or near drowning in a fenced pool compared to an unfenced pool is 0.27 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.47). Isolation fencing (enclosing pool only) is superior to perimeter fencing (enclosing property and pool); the OR for the risk of drowning in a pool with isolation fencing compared to a pool with three-sided fencing is 0.17 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.44).

Authors' conclusions:

Pool fences should have a dynamic and secure gate and should isolate the pool from the house (that is, four-sided fencing). Legislation should require isolation fencing with secure, self-latching gates for all pools, public, semi-public and private. Legislation should require fencing of both newly constructed and existing pools and include enforcement provisions, in order to be effective.

This record should be cited as:

Thompson DC, Rivara F. Pool fencing for preventing drowning of children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1998, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001047. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001047

Assessed as up to date:

October 12, 2006

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Primary Review Group:

Injuries Group

Health topics:

Orthopaedics & trauma > Prevention of injuries > Drowning

Public health > Prevention of injuries > Drowning

Cochrane Summaries^beta

Independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making

Fencing which completely encloses all sides of a swimming pool and isolates it from the home is effective in preventing drowning of young children

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