Glossary
Drowning disparities
Differences in drowning rates between groups of people, shaped largely by unequal access to pools and swimming lessons.
Drowning disparities are the gaps in drowning rates between groups of people. In the U.S., the CDC (opens in a new tab) reports that among people under 30, Black people drown at 1.5 times the rate of White people, and American Indian and Alaska Native people at twice the rate (1999-2019). In swimming pools, Black children ages 10 to 14 drown at 7.6 times the rate of White children.
The causes are mostly about access, not ability. CDC links swimming gaps to segregated pools, pool closures after integration and private clubs that excluded Black families, and lack of a nearby pool is still a major barrier (MMWR (opens in a new tab)). In 2023, 36.8% of Black adults and 25.8% of Hispanic adults said they could not swim, compared with 6.9% of White adults. CDC does not report a separate figure for South Asian Americans.
The national plan's answer is affordable, culturally competent lessons and more public pools. Read drowning disparities and water safety in desi communities.
What you can do today: share a free or low-cost swim lesson option with one family who might not know about it.