Journal Publications
Royal Life Saving's peer-reviewed research on drowning prevention and water safety published in national and international journals.

Royal Life Saving's work in drowning prevention and water safety is based on evidence-based research. This research is used to develop advice and policy to help members of the public, industry and governments to make informed decisions about water safety at a practical level.

Much of this research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and is listed below.

Publications

2024

Peden AE, Scarr J, Doan Minh T, Latif R, Le Thi Anh D, Chong TL, et al. (2024) Drowning prevention challenges and opportunities: An exploratory study of perspectives of delegates from ASEAN nations. PLoS ONE 19(6): e0304138. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304138

2023

Scarr J-P,  and Jagnoor J. (2023) Conceptual definition for drowning prevention: a Delphi study. Injury Prevention 2023 Pages ip-2023-045085
https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/early/2023/11/09/ip-2023-045085.full.pdf

Peden AE, Willcox-Pidgeon S, Scarr J-P, and Franklin RC (2023) Lessons learned through the 20-year development of a national fatal drowning database in Australia. BMC Public Health 2023 Vol. 23 Issue 1 Pages 1499 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16392-2

Scarr J-P, Buse K, Norton R, Meddings DR, and Jagnoor J. (2023) Tracing the emergence of drowning prevention on the global health and development agenda: a policy analysis. The Lancet Global Health 2022 Vol. 10 Issue 7 Pages e1058-e1066 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00074-2

Willcox-Pidgeon S, Miller L, Leggat PA, Peden AE, Brander RW, Wilks J, et al. (2023). The characteristics of drowning among different types of international visitors to Australia and how this contributes to their drowning risk
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 2023 Pages 100050 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023046277

2022

Hamilton K, Keech JJ, Willcox-Pidgeon S and Peden AE (2022).
An evaluation of a video-based intervention targeting alcohol consumption during aquatic activities. Australian Journal of Psychology 2022 Vol. 74 Issue 1 Pages 2029221 https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2022.2029221

2021

Meddings D, Scarr JP, Larson K, Vaughn J, Krug E. (2021) Drowning prevention: turning the tide on a leading killer. Lancet Public Health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(21)00165-1/fulltext

Jagnoor J, Kobusingye O, Scarr JP. (2021) Drowning Prevention: priorities to accelerate multisectoral action. Lancet Public Health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01601-9/fulltext

Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2021). Global Drowning Prevention Day 2021: The start of a new era? Injury Prevention Blog https://blogs.bmj.com/injury-prevention/2021/07/22/global-drowning-prevention-day-2021-the-start-of-a-new-era/

Scarr JP, Jagnoor J. (2021). Mapping Trends in Drowning Research: A Bibliometric Analysis 1995–2020. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4234;  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084234

Clemens T, Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2021) Exploring a Hidden Epidemic: Drowning Among Adults Aged 65 Years and Older. Journal of Aging and Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643211014770

Peden AE, Scarr JP, Mahony A. (2021) Analysis of fatal unintentional drowning in Australia 2008–2020: implications for the Australian Water Safety Strategy. Aust NZ J Public Health. 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13124

Willcox‐Pidgeon SM, Franklin RC, Leggat P, Devine S. (2021) Epidemiology of unintentional fatal drowning among migrants in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13102

2020

Peden AE, Willcox-Pidgeon SM, Franklin RC, Scarr, JP. (2020) Comparing rivers to lakes: Implications for drowning prevention. Australian Journal of Rural Health https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajr.12679

Jackson SD. (2020) Case Study: Blended Learning Approach in Pool Lifeguard Training. International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning 13(3) https://doi.org/10.3991/ijac.v13i3.17511

Willcox-Pidgeon SM, Franklin RC, Devine S, Leggat PA, Scarr J. (2020) Reducing inequities among adult female migrants at higher risk for drowning in Australia: The value of swimming and water safety programs. Health Promotion Journal of Australia https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.407

Pearn JH, Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2020) Drowning of Pet Owners during Attempted Animal Rescues: The AVIR-A Syndrome. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education 12(2):Article 8 DOI:10.25035/ijare.12.02.08
Peden AE, Willcox-Pidgeon S. (2020) Autism spectrum disorder and unintentional fatal drowning of children and adolescents in Australia: an epidemiological analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood Published Online First: 13 March 2020. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2019-318658
Willcox-Pidgeon S, Franklin RD, Leggat PA, Devine S. (2020) Identifying a gap in drowning prevention: high risk populations. Injury Prevention Epub. doi:10.1136/ injuryprev-2019-043432
Willcox‐Pidgeon SM, Peden AE, Scarr J. (2020) Exploring children’s participation in commercial swimming lessons through the social determinants of health. Health Promotion Journal of Australia doi:10.1002/hpja.335
Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2020) Learning to Swim: An Exploration of Negative Prior Aquatic Experiences Among Children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(3557) DOI:10.3390/ijerph17103557        

Abercromby M, Leavy JE, Nimmo L, Crawford, G. (2020) Who are the Older Adults Who Drown in Western Australia? A Cluster Analysis Using Coronial Drowning Data. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 13(1), 7.  https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.13.01.07

Casten M, Crawford G, Jancey J, Bona MD, French S, Nimmo L, Leavy JE.  (2020) ‘Keep watch’ around water: short-term impact of a Western Australian population-wide television commercial. Journal of Public Health, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01290-3

Abercromby A, Leavy JE, Tohotoa J, Della Bona M, Nimmo L, Crawford G.  (2020) Go hard or go home: Exploring young people’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of alcohol use and water safety in Western Australia using the Health Belief Model. International Journal of Health Promotion. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2020.1759441

2019

Peden, AE, Franklin, RC, Pearn JH. (2019) The prevention of child drowning: the causal factors and social determinants impacting fatalities in portable pools. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2019. 00:1-8. http://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.282

Cenderadewi M, Franklin RC, Peden AE, Devine S. (2019) Pattern of intentional drowning mortality: A total population retrospective cohort study in Australia, 2006-2014. BMC Public Health 19:207. doi:10.1186/s12889-019-6476-z        
Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2019) Exploring Flood-Related Unintentional Fatal Drowning of Children and Adolescents Aged 0-19 Years in Australia. Safety 5(3) DOI:10.3390/safety5030046        
Hamilton K, Peden AE, Smith S, Hagger MS. (2019) Predicting Pool Safety Habits and Intentions of Australian Parents and Carers for Their Young Children. Journal of Safety Research https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2019.09.006

Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2020) Causes of distraction leading to supervision lapses in cases of fatal drowning of children 0–4 years in Australia: A 15‐year review. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 56(3), 450–456. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.14668

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA, Lindsay, D (2019) Observing patterns of river usage. Safety, 5(4), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety5040066

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Willcox-Pidgeon S. (2019) Media reporting of summer drowning: A partial picture, useful for advocacy. Health Promotion Journal of Australia Published online 28 September 2019 doi:10.1002/hpja.297         
Pearn JH, Peden AE, Franklin RC. (2019) The influence of alcohol and drugs on drowning among victims of senior years. Safety 5(1), 8. doi:10.3390/safety5010008        
Hamilton K, Keech JJ, Peden AE, Hagger MS. (2019) Protocol for developing a mental imagery intervention: A randomised controlled trial testing a novel implementation imagery e-health intervention to change driver behaviour during floods. BMJ Open 9(2):e025565. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025565        

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Clemens T. (2019) Exploring the burden of fatal drowning and data characteristics in three high income countries: Australia, Canada and New Zealand. BMC Public Health 2019;19:794. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7152-z

Franklin RC, Peden AE, Brander R, Leggat PA. (2019) Who rescues who? Understanding aquatic rescues in Australia using coronial data and a survey. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Online 11 June 2019, doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12900        

Willcox-Pidgeon S, Peden AE, Franklin RC, Scarr J. (2019) Boating-related drowning in Australia: Epidemiology, risk factors and the regulatory environment. Journal of Safety Research 70:117-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2019.06.005

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Pearn JH, Mahony AJ. (2019) Unintentional Bathtub Drowning Deaths Among Those Aged 65 Years and Older in Australia. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education 11(3). doi:10.25035/ijare.11.03.02        
Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA. (2019) Developing drowning prevention strategies for rivers through the use of a modified Delphi process. Injury Prevention Published Online First: 30 March 2019. doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043156       

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first‐aid training of river users in Australia: A strategy for reducing drowning. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2018;00:1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.195

Leavy JE, Jancey J, Nimmo L, Hall C, Crawford G. (2019) “I read it in the news:” A content analysis of news media coverage of drowning events in Western Australia over two summers, 2014-2016 (early online ) Health Promotion Journal of Australia. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.267

Della Bona M, Crawford G, Nimmo L, Leavy JE. (2019) What does ‘Keep Watch’ mean to migrant parents?  Examining differences in supervision, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training and water familiarisation. Journal of Public Health. Online 03 January 2019 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1197-0

2018

Hamilton K, Peden AE, Keech JJ, Hagger MS. (2018) Driving through floodwater: exploring driver decisions through the lived experience. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Available online 26 December 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.12.019

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA. (2018) Breathalysing and surveying river users in Australia to understand alcohol consumption and attitudes toward drowning risk. BMC Public Health 18:1393. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6256-1
Peden AE, Mahony AJ, Barnsley PD, et al. (2018) Understanding the full burden of drowning: a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of fatal and non-fatal drowning in Australia. BMJ Open 2018;8:e024868. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024868

Barnsley PD, Peden AE. (2018) A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Cohort Study Examining the Risk of Unintentional Fatal Drowning During Public Holidays in Australia. Safety 2018; 4(4):42. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety4040042

Peden AE, Barnsley PD, Queiroga AC. (2018) The association between school holidays and unintentional fatal drowning among children and adolescents aged 5–17 years. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health doi:10.1111/jpc.14235
Barnsley PD, Peden AE, Scarr J. (2018) Calculating the economic burden of fatal drowning in Australia. Journal of Safety Research 67: 57-63. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2018.09.002

Franklin RC, Peden AE, Pearn J. (2018) Drowning deaths in Australia caused by hypoxic blackout, 2002–2015. Medical Journal of Australia 208(6), 271-271. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja17.00728

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat P. (2018) The Flood-Related Behaviour of River Users in Australia. PLOS Currents Disasters 2018 Jun 14. Edition 1. doi: 10.1371/currents.dis.89e243413a0625941387c8b9637e291b        

Peden AE, Demant D, Hagger MS, Hamilton K. (2018) Personal, social, and environmental factors associated with lifejacket wear in adults and children: A systematic literature review. PLOSONE 13(5): e0196421. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196421

Keech JJ, Smith SR, Peden AE, Hagger MS, Hamilton K. (2018) The lived experience of rescuing people who have driven into floodwater: Understanding challenges and identifying areas for providing support. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2018;00:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.181

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Pearn JH. (2018) Unintentional fatal child drowning in the bath: A 12‐year Australian review (2002–2014). Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 54(2), 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.13688

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat P. (2018) Preventing river drowning deaths: Lessons from coronial recommendations. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 29(2), 144–152. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.24

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA. (2018) PW 1917 Building the evidence base for river drowning prevention: the Australian experience. Injury Prevention, 24(Suppl 2), A155–A155. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprevention-2018-safety.428

Peden A, Franklin R,  Queiroga A. (2018) Epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for the prevention of global unintentional fatal drowning in people aged 50 years and older: a systematic review. Injury Prevention 24(3), 240–247. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2017-042351
Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA. (2018) Exploring visitation at rivers to understand drowning risk. Injury Prevention Published Online First: 06 June 2018. doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2018-042819        
Hamilton K, Keech JJ, Peden AE, Hagger MS. (2018) Alcohol use, aquatic injury, and unintentional drowning: A systematic literature review. Drug and Alcohol Review 37(6): 752-773. doi:10.1111/dar.12817        
Hamilton K, Peden AE, Keech JJ, Hagger MS. (2018) Changing people’s attitudes and beliefs toward driving through floodwaters: evaluation of a video infographic. Transportation Research Part F: Psychology and Behaviour 53(2018): 50-60

Hamilton K, Price S, Keech JJ, Peden AE, Hagger MS. (2018) Drivers’ experiences during floods: Investigating the psychological influences underpinning decisions to avoid driving through floodwater. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 28: 507-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2017.12.013

Enkel S, Nimmo L, Jancey J, Leavy J. (2018) Alcohol and injury risk at a Western Australian School Leaver Festival. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. Early Online https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.54

Matthews BL, Franklin RC. (2018) Examination of a pilot intervention program to change parent supervision behaviour at Australian public swimming pools. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 29: 153– 159. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.37

2017
Franklin RC, Peden AE, Hamilton EB, et al. (2017) The burden of unintentional drowning: global, regional and national estimates of mortality from the global burden of disease 2017 Study. Injury Prevention Epub. doi:10.1136/ injuryprev-2019-043484        

Franklin RC, Pearn JH, Peden AE. (2017) Drowning fatalities in childhood: the role of pre-existing medical conditions. Archives of Disease in Childhood 102(10), 888–893. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2017-312684

Franklin RC, Peden, AE. (2017) Improving pool fencing legislation in Queensland, Australia: attitudes and impact on child drowning fatalities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121450

Peden AE, Franklin, RC, Leggat, PA. (2017) Alcohol and its contributory role in fatal drowning in Australian rivers, 2002-2012. Accident Analysis and Prevention 98, 259–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2016.10.009

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Mahony AJ, Scarr J, Barnsley PD. (2017) Using a retrospective cross-sectional study to analyse unintentional fatal drowning in Australia: ICD-10 coding-based methodologies verses actual deaths. BMJ Open 7(12), e019407. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019407

Mahony AJ, Peden AE, Franklin RC, Pearn JH, Scarr J. (2017) Fatal, unintentional drowning in older people: Pre-existing medical conditions. Healthy Aging Research 6: 1-8
Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat P, Aitken P. (2017) Causal pathways of flood related river drowning deaths in Australia. PLOS Currents Disasters 2017 May 18. Edition 1. doi:10.1371/currents.dis.001072490b201118f0f689c0fbe7d437        

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Scarr J. (2017) Measuring Australian Children’s Water Safety Knowledge: The National Water Safety Quiz. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 10: No. 2, Article 4. Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol10/iss2/4

Denehy M, Leavy JE, Jancey J, Nimmo L, Crawford G. (2017) This Much Water: a qualitative study using behavioural theory to develop a community service video to prevent child drowning in Western Australia. BMJ Open 2017;7:e017005. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017005

Matthews BL, Andrew E, Andronaco R, Cox S, Smith K. (2017) Epidemiology of fatal and non-fatal drowning patients attended by paramedics in Victoria, Australia, International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 24:3, 303-310, DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2016.1175479         
2016

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA, Zeeb H. (2016) The Hidden Tragedy of Rivers: A Decade of Unintentional Fatal Drowning in Australia. PLoS ONE 11(8), e0160709. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160709

Peden A. Franklin, R, Leggat P. (2016) International travelers and unintentional fatal drowning in Australia - a 10 year review 2002-12. Journal of Travel Medicine 23(2), tav031. https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/tav031

Peden AE, Franklin RC, Leggat PA. (2016) Fatal river drowning: the identification of research gaps through a systematic literature review. Injury Prevention 22(3), 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2015-041750

Hamilton K, Peden AE, Pearson M, Hagger MS. (2016) Stop there's water on the road! Identifying key beliefs guiding people’s willingness to drive through flooded waterways. Safety Science 86, 308-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.07.004      

Denehy M, Crawford G, Leavy J, Nimmo L, Jancey J. (2016) Formative research to develop theory-based messages for a Western Australian child drowning prevention television campaign: study protocol. BMJ Open, 6(5), e010033. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010033

Leavy JE, Crawford G, Leaversuch F, Nimmo L, McCausland K, Jancey J. (2016). A review of drowning prevention interventions for children and young people in high, low and middle income countries. Journal of Community Health, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-0105-2

2015

Wallis BA, Watt K, Franklin RC, Nixon JW, Kimble RM. (2015) Drowning mortality and morbidity rates in children and adolescents 0-19 yrs: a population-based study in Queensland, Australia. PLoS ONE 10(2), e0117948. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117948

Wallis BA, Watt K, Franklin RC, Kimble RM. (2015) Drowning in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents in Queensland (Australia). BMC Public Health 15(1), 795. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2137-z

Guevarra JP, Franklin RC, Basilio JA, Orbillo LL, Go JJL. (2015) Child drowning prevention in the Philippines: the beginning of a conversation. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 22(3), 243–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457300.2014.912235

Franklin RC, Peden AE, Hodges S, Lloyd N, Larsen P, O’Connor C, Scarr J. (2015) Learning to swim – What influences success? International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education 9(3): 220-240.
Pearn JH, Franklin RC, Peden AE. (2015) Hypoxic Blackout: Diagnosis, Risks and Prevention. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education 9(3): 342-347.

Leavy JE, Crawford G, Portsmouth L, Jancey J, Leaversuch F, Nimmo L, et al. (2015) Recreational Drowning Prevention Interventions for Adults, 1990–2012: A Review. Journal of Community Health. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-9991-6

2014

Crawford G, Leavy J, Portsmouth L, Jancey J, Leaversuch F, Nimmo L, Reid-Dornbusch L, Hills E. (2014) Development of a Systematic Review of Public Health Interventions to Prevent Children Drowning. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4, 100-106. 10.4236/ojpm.2014.43014

2013

Bugeja L, Franklin RC. (2013) An analysis of stratagems to reduce drowning deaths of young children in private swimming pools and spas in Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 20(3), 282–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457300.2012.717086

Watt K, Franklin RC, Wallis B, Griffin BR, Leggat P, Kimble R. (2013) Comparing apples with apples? Abusive head trauma, drowning and LSVROs. Injury Prevention 19(1), 75. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040620

2011

Franklin RC, Pearn JH. (2011) Drowning for love: the aquatic victim-instead-of-rescuer syndrome: drowning fatalities involving those attempting to rescue a child. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 47(1-2), 44–47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1754.2010.01889.x

2010

Franklin RC, Scarr JP, Pearn JH. (2010) Reducing drowning deaths: the continued challenge of immersion fatalities in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia 192(3), 123-126. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03448.x

2000

Franklin, R. (2000) Farm-related fatalities in Australia, 1989-1992. Moree, NSW: National Farm Injury Data Centre.