Understanding consumers’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward portable pool compliance and safety behaviours: 2019 Research Report

Abstract

Unintentional fatal drowning claims the lives of 279 people per year on average in Australia, with a further 717 people estimated to be hospitalised due to a non-fatal drowning. Young children under five are the age group most at risk of drowning, with 27 children under five, on average, dying from drowning each year. For each fatal drowning among children under five, a further 7.2 children under five are hospitalised due to non-fatal drowning. Building on our previous research, this project provides the first investigation of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward portable pool compliance and safety behaviours of parents of young children aged 0–5 years. The behaviours under investigation were: 1. Supervising young children within arm’s reach; 2. Ensuring adequate fencing is in place to restrict access to portable pools 30cm and deeper; 3.Emptying and storing portable pools safely when not in use. This research has provided insight into the knowledge, beliefs, and safety behaviours of parents of young children who have a portable pool at home. Key findings include that there is a considerable lack of knowledge regarding the requirements for portable pool safety and that parents consider portable pools to pose a significantly lessor drowning risk than permanent in-ground pools. Parents’ recollection of safety information from safety labels was also low. While more than two-thirds of parents always supervised their child within arm’s reach around portable pools in the last month, the study reveals that a substantial proportion do not. The study also reveals a similar proportion of parents (more than two-thirds) empty and store their portable pool safety after use. With regard to fencing portable pools 30cm and deeper, complying with the legal requirement is substantially lower than the other two behaviours, with less than one-third of parents with portable pools 30cm and deeper having a fence, and less than half of portable pool owners overall being aware that fencing is required. Further work is needed to encourage parents who use portable pools to supervise their child within arm’s reach, to ensure fencing is in place to restrict access to pools deeper than 30cm, to empty and store their portable pool safely after use, and to maintain current CPR training when supervising young children in portable pools. It is hoped that by doing so, portable pool use can be made safer, and more young lives can be saved from drowning.