2026-10-10T05:12:13Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33988852 2026-09-24T17:43:14Z category_21 category_272 category_45 category_734 category_106 portal_5 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

<p>Themes and sub-themes.</p> Debayanti Bhowmick (25105294) Soumyadeep Bhaumik (6612317) Jagnoor Jagnoor (3217248) Biotechnology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Sociology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Science Policy related mortality worldwide qualitative study applied providing swimming instruction domestic migrant workers water safety education natural water bodies fencing water bodies particularly exposed regions rural communities across local humanitarian organization xlink "> drowning strengthening medical infrastructure recent drowning incidents enhancing childcare programs consistent across districts community risk perceptions urban &# 8211 heighten drowning risks community recommendations based india </ p effective prevention strategies local perceptions rural regions water sources community connectedness community awareness selected based risk varies risk perception environmental risks rural heterogeneity local language west bengal traditional beliefs thematic analysis structured interviews strengthen supervision regional needs purposively sampled population vulnerability physical barriers phenomenological approach marked regional lived experiences limited research leading cause iteratively coded <div><p>Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related mortality worldwide, with disproportionate impacts on low- and middle-income countries. West Bengal, India, is characterized by extensive exposure to natural water bodies and marked regional and urban–rural heterogeneity. There is limited research on community risk perceptions and contextual drivers of drowning in this area, which constrains the design of effective prevention strategies. This qualitative study applied a phenomenological approach and conducted 46 focus group discussions involving a total of 339 participants from urban and rural communities across all 23 districts of West Bengal. Districts were selected based on recent drowning incidents. Adult residents were purposively sampled with support from local humanitarian organization. Data collection combined semi-structured interviews in local language, audio recording, and thematic analysis, iteratively coded to saturation using NVivo software. Four major themes emerged: (1) infrastructure and risk varies between urban and rural regions for instance differences in use and type of water sources, healthcare access and community connectedness; (2) Community awareness of population vulnerability, environmental risks, and other contextual exposures to drowning were identified where children, elderly, domestic migrant workers and non-swimmers were found to be vulnerable; (3) Adaptive response to threat through prevention, accessibility and rescue methods included informal rescue, reliance on traditional beliefs and expressions of fatalism; (4) Community recommendations based on lived experiences and risk perception of drowning were focused on fencing water bodies, enhancing childcare programs, strengthening medical infrastructure and providing swimming instruction. Infrastructure gaps and climate variability further heighten drowning risks in particularly exposed regions and households. Community risk perceptions underscore urgent priorities for drowning prevention in West Bengal. While findings are consistent across districts, intervention priorities vary according to regional needs.Strategies should strengthen supervision, physical barriers, childcare, water safety education, and access to critical care, informed by local perceptions and practices.</p></div> 2026-09-24T17:43:09Z Dataset Dataset 10.1371/journal.pgph.0007377.t001 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/_p_Themes_and_sub-themes_p_/33988852 CC BY 4.0