Towards uniform reporting of drowning

Drowning remains a common problem throughout the world. It can help improve the scientific process of understanding how to prevent drowning, and/or improve outcomes, if researchers use standard definitions, and record their findings in a uniform way, so that the findings of different studies can be compared.

This thesis contributes to a consistent reporting of drowning research, by illustrating how the 'Utstein Style For Drowning' (USFD) can be used to study drowning in a uniform manner. The USFD is an international consensus-based template that uses a standard set of definitions and parameters for reporting drowning resuscitation. Moreover, this thesis shows how lessons learned through the use of the USFD have helped to improve this template.

This thesis also describes the development of a 'drowning dictionary' as an example of how standardisation in drowning reporting can be achieved beyond the domain of resuscitation of drowning victims.

Finally, this thesis contributes to the identification of new parameters potentially relevant to the outcome of drowning and standardising resuscitation attempts at sea by means of providing suggestions for future revisions of the USFD. This will aid the uniform reporting of parameters related to the rescue and resuscitation efforts of lifeboat crewmembers that will potentially have an impact on the outcome of drowning.