News Release from USA Swimming
Approximately 70% of African American Children Report Low or No Swimming Ability Putting Them At Risk of Drowning
2010 Study commissioned by USA Swimming finds fear, lack of parental encouragement and personal appearance among major factors preventing children from learning to swim
Colorado Springs, CO, June 11, 2010 – As the summer season begins and pools and beaches are open across the country, a recent study commissioned by USA Swimming and conducted by the University of Memphis exposes some alarming statistics. The Constraints Impacting Minority Swimming Participation, Phase II study found that nearly 70% of African American children have low or no swim ability, compared to 40% of Caucasians, putting them at risk for drowning. According to the study, parental fear is a major contributor impacting a child’s swimming ability.
Fear Trumps Finance as a Major Factor
The “fear of drowning” was found to be the strongest overall predictor of swim ability. Other issues impacting African American families included lack of parental encouragement and personal appearance issues, more specifically the notion that chlorine is bad for African American skin and hair. Other issues reported (but to a lesser degree) included financial constraints and access to pools.
While the study revealed children from lower income families* were more inclined to agree that “family budget doesn’t include money for me to take swim lessons,” focus group research found that many parents wouldn’t let kids swim even if lessons were free, a theme that was tested four times in different focus groups. Overall, fear trumped financial concerns across all respondents from low-income families.
40% of All Children Surveyed Said They Are Able to Swim While Only 18% of Total Respondents Have Taken Lesson From Certified Instructor
Results from the study show that while 40% of all children surveyed report they are able to swim, only 18% have ever taken a swim lesson from a certified instructor. When asked how they learned to swim, 26% of African American children responded, “I taught myself.” This false sense of confidence can lead to tragedy, as 60% of children with low or now swim ability plan to be in and around the water this summer at least once a month.
The Constraints Impacting Minority Swimming Participation, Phase II study was conducted by the University of Memphis between February 1, 2010 and May 26, 2010 and surveyed more than 2,000 children and parents in six cities across the U.S, including Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Memphis, Minneapolis and San Diego. The study is a follow up to Phase I conducted in 2008, which exposed the issues and served as a catalyst for widespread awareness of minority children’s low swimming ability. The purpose of the current study was to more clearly understand children’s true swim abilities and determine which factors most impact whether or not a child learns to swim.
The end goal is to create real solutions designed to ensure children are water safe, especially minority youth who are at a higher risk for drowning. The USA Swimming Foundation, African American Olympic gold medalist swimmer Cullen Jones and Make a Splash are teaming up again this summer to educate parents and kids about the importance of learning to swim and the resources available for families in need, and will utilize the information from the findings as they travel the country as part of a six city event series. Make a Splash is the national water safety initiative created by the USA Swimming Foundation in an effort to provide access to swim lessons at low or no cost for children across the country.
“I didn’t learn how to swim to become an Olympic champion,” said Jones. “I learned how to swim, because when I was five years old, I almost drowned. The findings from this study reinforce the importance of why I’m traveling the country this summer to talk to parents and kids about the importance of learning to swim as a life-saving skill. I really believe we can make a difference in the statistics and save lives.”
Read the Full Study Here
2010 Study commissioned by USA Swimming finds fear, lack of parental encouragement and personal appearance among major factors preventing children from learning to swim
Colorado Springs, CO, June 11, 2010 – As the summer season begins and pools and beaches are open across the country, a recent study commissioned by USA Swimming and conducted by the University of Memphis exposes some alarming statistics. The Constraints Impacting Minority Swimming Participation, Phase II study found that nearly 70% of African American children have low or no swim ability, compared to 40% of Caucasians, putting them at risk for drowning. According to the study, parental fear is a major contributor impacting a child’s swimming ability.
Fear Trumps Finance as a Major Factor
The “fear of drowning” was found to be the strongest overall predictor of swim ability. Other issues impacting African American families included lack of parental encouragement and personal appearance issues, more specifically the notion that chlorine is bad for African American skin and hair. Other issues reported (but to a lesser degree) included financial constraints and access to pools.
While the study revealed children from lower income families* were more inclined to agree that “family budget doesn’t include money for me to take swim lessons,” focus group research found that many parents wouldn’t let kids swim even if lessons were free, a theme that was tested four times in different focus groups. Overall, fear trumped financial concerns across all respondents from low-income families.
40% of All Children Surveyed Said They Are Able to Swim While Only 18% of Total Respondents Have Taken Lesson From Certified Instructor
Results from the study show that while 40% of all children surveyed report they are able to swim, only 18% have ever taken a swim lesson from a certified instructor. When asked how they learned to swim, 26% of African American children responded, “I taught myself.” This false sense of confidence can lead to tragedy, as 60% of children with low or now swim ability plan to be in and around the water this summer at least once a month.
The Constraints Impacting Minority Swimming Participation, Phase II study was conducted by the University of Memphis between February 1, 2010 and May 26, 2010 and surveyed more than 2,000 children and parents in six cities across the U.S, including Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Memphis, Minneapolis and San Diego. The study is a follow up to Phase I conducted in 2008, which exposed the issues and served as a catalyst for widespread awareness of minority children’s low swimming ability. The purpose of the current study was to more clearly understand children’s true swim abilities and determine which factors most impact whether or not a child learns to swim.
The end goal is to create real solutions designed to ensure children are water safe, especially minority youth who are at a higher risk for drowning. The USA Swimming Foundation, African American Olympic gold medalist swimmer Cullen Jones and Make a Splash are teaming up again this summer to educate parents and kids about the importance of learning to swim and the resources available for families in need, and will utilize the information from the findings as they travel the country as part of a six city event series. Make a Splash is the national water safety initiative created by the USA Swimming Foundation in an effort to provide access to swim lessons at low or no cost for children across the country.
“I didn’t learn how to swim to become an Olympic champion,” said Jones. “I learned how to swim, because when I was five years old, I almost drowned. The findings from this study reinforce the importance of why I’m traveling the country this summer to talk to parents and kids about the importance of learning to swim as a life-saving skill. I really believe we can make a difference in the statistics and save lives.”
Read the Full Study Here
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