Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32557411›Full record

ArticleDiving and hyperbaric medicine2020

Scuba diving fatalities in Australia, 2001 to 2013: Diver demographics and characteristics.

John Lippmann, Christopher Stevenson, David McD Taylor

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diving and hyperbaric medicine, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. A Temporal Comparison of 50 Years of Australian Scuba Diving Fatalities.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  3. The investigation of diving accidents and fatalities.Diving and hyperbaric medicine · 2024
    Article
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  10. Review
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  12. Observational
  13. Mapping Trends in Drowning Research: A Bibliometric Analysis 1995-2020.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

John LippmannAustralasian Diving Safety Foundation, Canterbury, Victoria, Australia.
Christopher StevensonSchool of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
David McD TaylorEmergency Department, Austin Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
Deakin University · AUMonash University · AUUniversity of Melbourne · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThis study identified characteristics of victims of fatal scuba diving incidents to determine contributing factors and inform appropriate countermeasures.

methodsThe National Coronial Information System (NCIS) was searched to identify scuba diving deaths for 2001-2013, inclusive. Data were extracted from witness and police reports, medical histories and autopsies. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse these data.

resultsThere were 126 scuba diving-related fatalities identified during the study period. The mean age was 44 years, 99 (79%) victims were male and 83 (77%) were either overweight or obese. Most deaths occurred in New South Wales and Queensland, often in a commercial setting. Twenty-three (79%) Queensland victims were overseas tourists. At least 52 (41%) were novices and 17 (13%) died during training or an introductory scuba experience. Only 35 (28%) were with a buddy when the incident occurred and at least 81 (64%) were still wearing weights when recovered.

conclusionsThe age of these victims may reflect an older cohort of participants and the associated higher prevalence of chronic medical conditions. The high prevalence of obesity suggests that this may be a risk factor. The high proportion of deaths in overseas tourists highlights an on-going need for appropriate screening and monitoring in what may be a higher risk cohort. The number of deaths that occurred under instruction highlights the importance of careful assessment of the site, prevailing conditions, an appropriate instructor-student ratio and close supervision.

Indexed as

DivingDrowningAdultAustraliaCause of DeathFemaleHumansMaleQueenslandDAN – Divers Alert NetworkDiving deathsDiving incidentsObesityResearchSolo diving

Identifiers

PMID32557411
PMCPMC7481108
OpenAlexW3036377313

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.