Artigo Original
MORTALITY RATE BY DROWNING IN BRAZIL FROM 2011-2021
Como citar: Aquino LJ. Taxa de mortalidade por afogamento no Brasil de 2011-2021. Persp Med Legal Pericia Med. Vol. 10, 2025; 250307.
https://dx.doi.org/10.47005/250307Aceito em 15/09/2025
The authors report no conflict of interest.
MORTALITY RATE BY DROWNING IN BRAZIL FROM 2011-2021
Resumo
INTRODUÇÃO: Identificar o perfil epidemiológico dos óbitos por afogamento no Brasil entre 2011 e 2021. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Delineamento transversal utilizando dados do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM-DO-DATASUS). Todas as análises foram conduzidas utilizando o software R versão 4.3.0 através do seu ambiente de desenvolvimento integrado RStudio versão 2023.03.0. RESULTADOS: A taxa média de mortalidade foi de 2,49 óbitos a cada 100.000 pessoas, com uma redução de 20% ao longo do período de 10 anos. A maior parte de óbitos por faixa etária ocorreu entre jovens de 10 a 19 anos, sendo predominantemente do sexo masculino. As regiões Norte e Centro-Oeste apresentaram as taxas mais elevadas. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar da redução na taxa de mortalidade no período de 10 anos há um número elevado de casos de afogamento no país e políticas de prevenção são necessárias para conscientização e melhorias na segurança aquática, especialmente para os jovens.
Palavras Chave: Afogamento, mortalidade, acidentes, imersão e Brasil
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: to identify the epidemiological profile of deaths by drowning in Brazil between 2011 and 2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional design using data from the Mortality Information System (SIM-DO-DATASUS). All analyzes were conducted using R software version 4.3.0 through its integrated development environment RStudio version 2023.03.0. RESULT: The average mortality rate was 2.49 deaths per 100,000 people, with a 20% reduction over the 10-year period. The majority of deaths by age group occurred among young people aged 10 to 19, and were predominantly male. The North and Central-West regions had the highest rates. CONCLUSION: Despite the reduction in the mortality rate over the 10-year period, there is a high number of drownings in the country and prevention policies are necessary to raise awareness and improve water safety, especially for young people.
Keywords (MeSH): Drowning, mortality, accidents, immersion and Brazil
References
1. Silva VC, Nascimento CVC, Moraes FCA, Passos ES, Mota JFC, et al. Epidemiological profile of drowning cases in the northern region of Brazil, with emphasis on the state of Pará from 2010 to 2019. RSD [Internet]. 2021 Aug [cited 2023 Sep 24];10(10):e111101016706. Available from: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/16706
2. Szpilman D. Drowning. Rev Bras Med Esporte [Internet]. 2000;6(4). Available from: https://scielo.br/j/rbme/a/QsYqrfCKQT5vYbs8XPNCm4z/?format=pdf
3. Cerland L, Mégarbane B, Kallel H, Brouste Y, Mehdaoui H, Resiere D. Incidence and outcomes of pneumonia related to near-drowning: A descriptive series from Martinique, French West Indies. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet]. 2017 Nov 17;14(11):1402. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14111402
4. Torres C, Arbo MD. Prevalence of alcohol and drugs in drowning deaths in Rio Grande do Sul. Rev Bras Crimin [Internet]. 2020 Jul 8 [cited 2023 Sep 24];9(2):47-55. Available from: https://revista.rbc.org.br/index.php/rbc/article/view/370
5. Bierens JJ, Lunetta P, Tipton M, Warner DS. Physiology of drowning: A review. Physiology (Bethesda). 2016 Mar;31(2):147-66. DOI: 10.1152/00002.2015. PMID: 26889019. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26889019/
6. Webber J, Schmidt AC, Sempsrott JR, Szpilman D, Queiroga AC, et al. Fatal and non-fatal drowning in rivers. Sci Med Pathol Forense. 2017 Dec;13(4):527-8. DOI: 10.1007/s12024-017-9883-4. Epub 2017 Jun 5. PMID: 28580497. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12024-017-9883-4
7. Szpilman D, Vasconcellos MB. Drowning – Epidemiological profile in swimming pools in Brazil: 2003 to 2011 [Internet]. Available from: http://www.sobrasa.org/perfil-dos-afogamentos-em-piscinas-no-brasil/
8. Tyler MD, Richards DB, Reske-Nielsen C, et al. The epidemiology of drowning in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2017;17:413. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4239-2
9. Monteiro EKR, Guimarães HL, Vasconcellos TS. Epidemiological profile of drowning deaths in Alagoas. Flammae [Internet]. 2017;3(6). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368570008_Revista_FLAMMAE_PERFIL_EPIDEMIOLOGICO_DAS_MORTES_POR_AFOGAMENTO_NO_ESTADO_DE_ALAGOAS
10. Abelairas-Gómez C, Tipton MJ, González-Salvado V, Bierens JJLMB. Drowning: Epidemiology, prevention, pathophysiology, resuscitation, and hospital care. Emergencias [Internet]. 2019;31:270-80. Available from: https://revistaemergencias.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Emergencias-2019_31_4_270-280.pdf
11. Szpilman D, Sobrasa Board 2018-22. Drowning – Epidemiological bulletin in Brazil 2022. SOBRASA – Brazilian Life Saving Society [Internet]. Available from: https://sobrasa.org/new_sobrasa/arquivos/baixar/AFOGAMENTOS_Boletim_Brasil_2022.pdf
12. Saldanha RF, Bastos RR, Barcellos C. Microdatasus: package for download and preprocessing of microdata from the SUS Informatics Department (DATASUS). Cad Saude Publica. 2019;35(9):e00032419.
13. Peden MM, McGee K. The epidemiology of drowning worldwide. Inj Control Saf Promot. 2003;10(4):195-9. DOI: 10.1076/icsp.10.4.195.16772
14. Araújo RT, Martin CCS, Martinis BS, Evison MP, Guimarães MA. Medico-legal data on drowning in the Ribeirão Preto region (SP, Brazil): A step towards prevention. Medicina (Ribeirao Preto). 2008 Jan-Mar;41(1):50-7.
15. Szpilman D, Cruz Filho F. Epidemiological profile of drowning in Brazil – 144207 deaths in 20 years study. Oral presentation. World Congress on Drowning, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 2002.
16. Gomes GA, Biffi D, Ribeiro VR. Epidemiological profile of drowning victims in Rio Grande do Sul. Rev Perspectiva: Cienc Saude. 2017;2(2). Available from: http://sys.facos.edu.br/ojs/index.php/perspectiva/article/view/110/95
17. World Health Organization. Injury: A leading cause of the global burden of disease 2000. Geneva: WHO Press; 1999.
18. Weir E. Drowning in Canada. CMAJ. 2000;162(13).
19. Associação para a Promoção da Segurança Infantil. Drowning in children and young people in Portugal: Report 2002-2010. Lisbon: APSI; 2011.
20. Segundo ADSS, Sampaio MC. Epidemiological profile of drowning on beaches in Salvador, Bahia, 2012. Epidemiol Serv Saude [Internet]. 2015 Jan;24(1):31-8. DOI: 10.5123/S1679-49742015000100004
21. World Health Organization, Our World in Data. Death rate from drowning [dataset]. Global Health Estimates. 2024 Oct 30. Available from: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/death-rate-from-drowning-ghe
22. Franklin RC, Peden AE, Hamilton EB, et al. The burden of unintentional drowning: Global, regional and national mortality estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study. Inj Prev. 2020;26:i83-i95.
23. Clemens T, Moreland B, Lee R. Persistent racial/ethnic disparities in fatal unintentional drowning rates among persons aged ≤29 years — United States, 1999–2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70:869–74. DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7024a1
24. De Castro VV. Factors influencing water resource management in built-up areas: The case of the Amazon region. Doctoral thesis. Federal Fluminense University; 2012. Available from: http://ole.uff.br/wp-content/uploads/sites/461/2018/10/tese_formatada.pdf
25. Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat P. Fatal river drowning: Identifying research gaps through a systematic review. Inj Prev. 2016 Jun;22(3):202-9. Available from: https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/22/3/202.full.pdf
