Clinical trial NCT03982056: Float First: An Index of Floating: Factors Affecting Floating in Different Populations
Official title: "Float First": Categorising Factors Effecting Floating in Different Populations During Water Immersion.
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Conditions: Floating Technique
Anthropometry
Lung Function
Keywords: Floating
Sculling
water safety
Lead sponsor: University of Portsmouth
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-06-11
Enrollment: 178
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Accepting all adults able to give their own consent to participate, the investigators aim to recruit a mixture of participants of different body size, shape, sex and race

Brief summary: The study involves measurements of body composition using a DEXA scanner, lung function, buoyancy and floating technique. An understanding of the effects of physiological and anthropometric measures on an individual's ability to float may lead to the creation of a 'Floatability Score' to aid current public information. With this floatability score a set of actions that people of certain body types should adopt in water will be created, to tailor the current public safety messaging in an attempt to ensure more people are aware of how they can float in water

Detailed description: Between 2000 and 2013 an average of 425 people in the UK drowned per annum, and a reported 100,000 people were involved in water-related emergencies involving search and rescue services. Approximately half had not intended to go into the water. Research identifies that in the first 1-3 minutes of immersion, during the "cold shock response" (CSR), there may be an increased probability of drowning fatalities. As a result of this, a theme of 'Float First' was created whereby individuals are advised to float for 1-3 minutes following immersion (by undertaking the minimum amount of activity possible to maximise the amount of air trapped in clothing layers and hence creating additional buoyancy) until the effects of the CSR have declined. However, a number of people have come forward indicating that despite the advice given, they are unable to float. This study is designed to establish the minimum activity level a person needs to stay afloat and combine this with anthropomorphic and physiological measures to develop advice for people of different shapes, sizes and body compositions.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All participants who feel confident in water which they can stand up in, aged 18 years and older (18-29 years for Phase 1).
* The participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study.
* Be able to climb up and down a set of steps to access the swimming flume

Exclusion Criteria:

* Have allergies to water or chlorinated water.
* The participant is pregnant or suspects they may be pregnant.
* Not able to climb up and down a set of steps to access the swimming flume

Primary outcomes:
measure: Floating index
timeFrame: 2 minutes
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Standing Height
timeFrame: with the two week study window
measure: Mass
timeFrame: with the two week study window - performed at the same time of day as the floating and DEXA scan measurements
measure: Body composition
timeFrame: with the two week study window - performed at the same time of day as the floating and DEXA scan measurements
measure: Lung function
timeFrame: with the two week study window - performed at the same time of day as the floating and DEXA scan measurements
measure: Buoyancy
timeFrame: with the two week study window - performed at the same time of day as the floating and DEXA scan measurements
measure: Floating technique
timeFrame: 2 minutes
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Portsmouth
country: United Kingdom
facility: Heather Massey
state: Hampshire
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Portsmouth
name: Heather Massey, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: