Peixoto-Pino, L.; Barcala-Furelos, R.; Paz-García, B.; Varela-Casal, C.; Lorenzo-Martínez, M.; Gómez-Silva, A.; Rico-Díaz, J.; Rodríguez-Núñez, A. The “DrownSafe” Project: Assessing the Feasibility of a Puppet Show in Teaching Drowning Prevention to Children and Parents. Children2024, 11, 19.
Peixoto-Pino, L.; Barcala-Furelos, R.; Paz-García, B.; Varela-Casal, C.; Lorenzo-Martínez, M.; Gómez-Silva, A.; Rico-Díaz, J.; Rodríguez-Núñez, A. The “DrownSafe” Project: Assessing the Feasibility of a Puppet Show in Teaching Drowning Prevention to Children and Parents. Children 2024, 11, 19.
Peixoto-Pino, L.; Barcala-Furelos, R.; Paz-García, B.; Varela-Casal, C.; Lorenzo-Martínez, M.; Gómez-Silva, A.; Rico-Díaz, J.; Rodríguez-Núñez, A. The “DrownSafe” Project: Assessing the Feasibility of a Puppet Show in Teaching Drowning Prevention to Children and Parents. Children2024, 11, 19.
Peixoto-Pino, L.; Barcala-Furelos, R.; Paz-García, B.; Varela-Casal, C.; Lorenzo-Martínez, M.; Gómez-Silva, A.; Rico-Díaz, J.; Rodríguez-Núñez, A. The “DrownSafe” Project: Assessing the Feasibility of a Puppet Show in Teaching Drowning Prevention to Children and Parents. Children 2024, 11, 19.
Abstract
Drowning remains a prominent global pediatric health concern, necessitating preventive measures such as educational initiatives for children and caregivers. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and educational effectiveness of an interactive puppet show centered on water safety for children and parents. A 30-minute original theater performance, featuring two actors and three puppets (a girl, a crab, and a lifeguard), was conducted. Subsequently, 185 children (aged 4 to 8) and their 160 parents (134 mothers and 26 fathers) participated in this quasi-experimental study. Pre- and post-show tests were administered to evaluate knowledge and behaviors in aquatic environments. Prior to the puppet show, 78% of children exhibited basic aquatic competency. Only 33% considered swimming alone risky. Following the intervention, 81.6% of children changed their perception of the risks of solo beach activities, showing improved knowledge of emergency number activation (from 63.2% to 98.9%, p<0.001). The intervention increased parents' intention to visit lifeguard-patrolled beaches and improved their CPR knowledge for drowning victims by 58.8%. In conclusion, a drowning prevention puppet show positively impacts children and parents, potentially enhancing safety behaviors during water-related leisure activities, warranting consideration as part of comprehensive drowning prevention strategies.
Public Health and Healthcare, Public, Environmental and Occupational Health
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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