OBJECTIVETo find out the risk factors of drowning among children aged 1 and 14 in rural areas and to provide evidence for prevention and to reduce such incidents.

METHODS20 towns being selected as a cluster sampling study and screened out 133 drowning children aged 1-14 from Jan. 1, 2002 to Dec. 31, 2004 were screened. 1:2 matched case-control method was conducted. Data was analyzed with conditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSResults showed that falling into water took the leading type of drowning among children from the rural areas. The component of drowning displayed that boys was higher than girls. The majority occurred. during the warmer months, in summer and autumn. The places where drowning occurred was mainly at incidence site. Results from single and multiple factors analysis identified four major risk factors as: alcoholic drinking of his/her mother, lack of emergency treatment in the village, the child care-taker did not know what to do when drowning was occurring, the child usually played beside the water site. Factors preventing from drowning were: swimming training, the child caretaker keeping an eye on the child when he/she was swimming, the health condition of the caretaker and the communication with the parents.

CONCLUSIONThe risk factors of drowning among children aged 1-14 in rural areas were caused by multiple factors. Prevention and control program on drowning should be focusing on supervision, safety water, safety education and teaching swimming.