Abstract
Last time, I reported on the effects of people's living environment on swimming, YUUEI, and the kinds of drowning accidents there.
This time a further survey was made as to the students and their families in 39 elementary junior high, and senior high schools in Hokkaido and 6 other prefectures on the five subjects; the location or environment, where the swimming skills acquired, the swimming skills acquired, the swimming ability acquired, the playing in the water, and the experiences of drowning accidents. The answers on YUUEI and on the experiences of drowning accidents from 1703 respondents of age 6 to 15 (dated January, 2000) are discussed and reported as follows:
1. It is suggested that the swimming skills are acquired by the age of about 9 in the swimming pools with the guidance by their teachers or swimming instructors, according to some educational programs.
2. As for the swimming skills, the acquisition rate of the swimming skills such as the crawl and the breast stroke that are suitable for swimming pools is high, but the acquisition rate of the playing in the water, the skills essential for swimming, is low and the that of long distance and long hour swimming is also low.
3. As for the favorite swimming places, swimming pools are indicated as the places of easy access to enjoy swimming and playing in the water. The sea and rivers are also considered as other accessible swimming places for playing in the water.
4. As for the drowning accidents, the accidents happen predominantly by the age 9, and characteristically at the same period when swimming skills are acquired. As for the places for the drowning accidents, the same tendency of characteristics is shown in the fact that the high rate of the drowning accidents is indicated at swimming pools and baths where swimming skills are acquired. In connection with living environment, the sea, rivers, lakes, ponds, and swamps also show the high rate of drowning accidents.
