Integrative and scientific educational approach to child drowning. Innovation from prevention to intervention

Abstract

This doctoral thesis comprises a collection of researchs focused on preventing child drowning through an innovative educational approach. Child drowning is a global public health issue, and in this sense the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the critical importance of prevention from an early age. One of the knowledge gaps related to effective strategies to reduce drowning worldwide is the creation and dissemination of feasible educational contents and materials, that could be of universal access, especially in low-resource communities. Trying to fill these gaps, the studies conducted in this Doctoral Thesis range from reviewing Spanish educational legislation to designing and implementing interdisciplinary educational programs for drowning prevention, rescue, and resuscitation, integrating different areas of the school curriculum. These programs have been created with considering pedagogical criteria in order to promote meaningful interactive learning, involving students and families in the educational process. Specifically, four interventions are proposed: first and second focused on prevention using a safe water activities children's song and a puppet show, third on water rescue, based on throwing materials to provide flotation to a person at risk of drowning, and fourth focused on teaching basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with innovative do-it-yourself low-cost manikins (LoCoMan).