Health-Related Behaviors in Swimming Pool Users: Influence of Knowledge of Regulations and Awareness of Health Risks

Abstract

Background: Swimming pool attendance exposes users to infection and chemical risks that could be largely reduced with the adoption of healthy behaviors. This study aims to investigate if the knowledge of swimming pool regulations and awareness of health risks can be associated with users’ health-related behaviors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires to collect data from two different target groups of swimming users: 184 adults and 184 children/adolescents. The association between specific variables and patterns of behaviors and knowledge was assessed through multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Although more than 80% of both groups declared they knew the regulations, compliance with healthy behaviors was often unsatisfactory, especially in adolescents and youth. In the children/adolescents group, healthy behaviors significantly increased with the frequency of attendance per week. In both groups, compliance increased with educational level (of parents for children/adolescents), while no positive association was observed between viewing the regulations and adopting appropriate behaviors. In the adult group, a higher knowledge/awareness of health risks was related to decreased odds of at least one unhealthy behavior. Conclusions: Guaranteeing the public display of regulations in swimming facilities is not sufficient to promote and change health-related behaviors. Much more attention should be given to educational interventions aimed to increase knowledge of health risks and the awareness that bathers are directly responsible for their own well-being.

Occurrence and formation of disinfection by-products in the swimming pool environment: A critical review

“…Although approximately 83% of children and 80% of adults stated they were aware of the rules, only 2% of people could correctly identify why the rules were in place. Additionally, results suggest that there is no correlation between viewing regulations and adopting the healthy behaviour, although an adoption of healthy behaviour (or decrease in unhealthy behaviour) was observed to increase with awareness and education level (Gallè et al, 2016). These studies show that more attention to swimmer education is required in order to decrease swimmer input to pools, which would minimise DBP formation and generally increase the quality of the swimming pool environment.…”

A cross-sectional study on health related behaviors among swimming pool users and sanitary conditions of swimming pools in Hubballi city

“…The most common educational level among the parents was university degree. 7 In our study 31.5% and 22.5% of the participants attend swimming pool 1 hour and >6 hours per week respectively. Among the males (130), 40% of participants were learner or beginner, 16% of participants attend swimming pool for exercise.…”

“…From previous literature, 80% of the participants follow swimming pool regulations, sample size was calculated. 7 Considering 5% alpha error, 95% confidence interval and 80% power of the test, using following formula sample size found to be 171 and rounded to 200.…”

Protection of Public Health from Microbial and Chemical Hazards in Swimming Pool Environments

“…So far, hygiene-related behaviour in swimming pools has not been widely discussed. In the last decade, several studies, mostly from Italy, investigated hygiene-related behaviour of pool users by conducting surveys among swimmers in order to collect data (Amodio et al, 2014;Bonini et al, 2011;Gallè et al, 2016;Liguori et al, 2007;Pasquarella et al, 2013;Pasquarella et al, 2014;Wiant, 2012). These studies revealed that some pool users were urinating while bathing, not showering before entering the pool, not wearing footwear, and not using a footbath and were even swimming when having skin wounds, infectious skin diseases and diarrhoea.…”