{
  "abstract": "Issue addressed\n\nThe World Health Organisation recommends strengthening public awareness of drowning through strategic communications as a key drowning prevention strategy. This study aimed, for the first time, to assess population-level awareness of water safety messages in New South Wales, Australia.Methods\n\nVia an age-sex representative sample survey, community beliefs around the number of water safety messages and awareness of messages (defined as having seen or heard) were examined. Message awareness variance between different demographics (gender, age group, country of birth, rurality and socio-economic classification of residence) and water use frequency groups was assessed using chi square tests.Results\n\nThe sample comprised 1495 people (52% female; 33% 45-64 years; 84% Australian-born and 78% metropolitan residents). Seventy-six percent did not believe the number of water safety messages promoted to the community was confusing. 'Swim between the flags' had the highest awareness among the sample (68%), followed by 'No flags, no swim' (53%). Despite no longer being actively promoted, 36% were aware of the message 'To escape a rip, swim parallel to the beach'. 'Respect the River' had significantly higher awareness among males, Australian-born and regional residents, at-risk cohorts for river drowning.Conclusions\n\nMessage longevity supports increased awareness, though awareness varies by message and demographic groups. Funding support to increase awareness should reflect drowning burden. So what? Funding, time, and specific calls to action will support moving from awareness to behaviour change.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "Surf Life Saving Australia, Bondi Beach, New South Wales, Australia."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Amy E Peden",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6424-1511"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Jasmin C Lawes",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2393-395X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Rachel J Irvine",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-7032-6432"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6963mn3dk9e3a.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1002/hpja.70261",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13677796",
  "id": "6963mn3dk9e3a",
  "issns": [
    "1036-1073"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42893972",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Injury Epidemiology and Prevention"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222886311",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13677796?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13677796",
  "pmid": "42893972",
  "published": "2026-10-30",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6963mn3dk9e3a.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:32Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42893972",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42893972"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2739|Injury Epidemiology and Prevention",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Population-Level Awareness of Water Safety Messages: An Analysis of a Representative Sample From New South Wales, Australia.",
  "title_text": "Population-Level Awareness of Water Safety Messages: An Analysis of a Representative Sample From New South Wales, Australia.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:32Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6963mn3dk9e3a",
  "venue": "Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals",
  "versions": []
}