Table 1. Characteristics of included studies.
| Reference | Country (area within country) |
Year(s)* | Type of Study | Population | Sample Size | Factors | Level of Evidence# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett et al (1999) | USA (King County, Washington State) |
1992–1994 | Cross-sectional | Children (1–14 years) | 812 | Age, Confidence in lifejackets, Comfort of lifejackets, Education, Swimming abilities, Income, Intervention, Ownership of lifejacket, Perception of danger, Role modelling | IV |
| Bugeja et al (2014) | Australia (Victoria) |
1998–2004 & 2005–2010 | Population-based | Recreational boating drowning deaths | 74 | Legislation/Regulation (subanalysis by Age, Boat type, Gender, Waterway type) | IV |
| Cassell et al (2015) | Australia (Victoria) |
2005 & 2007 | Cross-sectional (observation) | Occupants of small power recreational vessels | 5029 | Legislation/Regulation (subanalysis by Age, Boat type, Gender, Type of activity) | IV |
| Chung et al (2014) | USA (Washington State) |
2010 | Cross sectional (observation) | Boaters (general) | 5157 | Legislation/Regulation (analysed by Age, Boat type, Gender, Role modelling, Type of activity, Weather/Water conditions) | IV |
| Clemens et al (2016) | Canada | 2008–2012 | Population-based | Drowning fatalities | 2392 | Age | IV |
| Croft et al (2015) | New Zealand | 1983–2012 | Population-based | Adult males (drowning deaths) | 2134 | Alcohol and other drugs | IV |
| Dai et al (2013) | USA (Georgia) |
2002–2008 | Population-based | Children and adolescents (drowning deaths) | 220 | Race/Ethnicity | IV |
| Giles et al (2010) | Canada (Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories) |
2007 | Qualitative (Interviews) | General (mostly First Nations Canadians) | 20 | Accessibility of lifejackets, Boating abilities, Confidence in lifejackets, Role modelling | V |
| Jones (1999) | USA (Arkansas) |
1994–1997 | Population-based | Personal watercraft passengers crash victims | 246 | Seat position | IV |
| Mangione et al (2012) | USA | 1999–2010 | Cross-sectional (observation) | Boaters | 482331 | Age, Boat type | IV |
| Mangione et al (2014) | USA (California & Mississippi) |
2006–2011 | Cross-sectional (observation) | Boaters | 109449 | Intervention & Legislation/Regulation (with subanalysis by Age, Boat type, Gender, Type of activity) | IV |
| Moran (2011) | New Zealand | 2003 | Cross-sectional (survey) | High school students (16–19 years) | 2202 | Gender | IV |
| Nathanson et al (2010) | United States | 2006 | Cross-sectional (survey) | Sailors | 1860 | Age | IV |
| Quan et al (1998) | United States (Oregon & Washington) |
1995 | Cross-sectional (observation) | Boaters | 4210 | Age, Boat type, Gender, Water/Weather conditions | IV |
| Quistberg et al (2014a) | United State (western Washington State) |
2008 | Cross-sectional (survey) | Boaters | 675 | Accessibility of lifejackets, Age, Alcohol and other drugs, Boat type, Boating abilities, Comfort of lifejackets, Confidence in lifejackets, Education, Gender, Income, Role modelling, Swimming abilities, Type of Activity, Water/Weather conditions, Waterway type, | IV |
| Quistberg et al (2014b) | USA | 2008 | Qualitative (Focus groups) | Boaters | 16 | Alcohol and other drugs, Boating abilities, Comfort of lifejackets, Legislation/Regulation | V |
| Redwood et al (2009) | USA (Alaska) |
2004–2006 | Cohort (cross-sectional analysis) | Alaskan and American Indigenous | 3828 | Age, Gender, Region | IV |
| Strayer et al (2010) | USA (Alaska) |
2000–2006 | Population-based | Drowning fatalities | 402 | Gender, Race/Ethnicity | IV |
| Treser et al (1997) | USA (King County, Washington State) |
1992 & 1994 | Cross-sectional | Boaters (small-sized boats) | 4088 | Age, Gender | IV |
| Wintemute et al (2013) | USA (Sacramento County, California) |
2010 | Cross-sectional (observation) | Children (0–13 years) | 1739 | Age, Gender, Race/Ethnicity | IV |
* Time of data collection;
# According to NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council)