Epidemiology of board-related incidents in the Portuguese National Maritime Authority's Jurisdiction (2020-2023): a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Portugal's favourable conditions for water-based recreational activities (WRA) often lead to incidents requiring intervention by the National Maritime Authority (AMN). Despite being documented in the SEGMAR database, participant profiles and severity factors, particularly for water-board-related incidents (BRIs), remain underexplored. This study aims to profile individuals involved in BRIs, identify determinants of severe incidents, and examine key clusters within the AMN's jurisdiction from 2020 to 2023.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study analysed 14,456 WRA incidents from the SEGMAR database. BRIs included activities involving water-boards (e.g., surfing, bodyboarding, kitesurfing) and collisions with water-boards. Severe BRIs were defined as incidents causing injuries, fatalities, or disappearances. Sociodemographic, temporal, and spatial factors were analysed using descriptive analysis and Quasi-Poisson regression to estimate frequency ratios (FR). Cluster analysis identified at-risk groups, and the severe to non-severe BRIs ratio was mapped by captaincy and municipality. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: BRIs made up 11.9% of all incidents, occurring more often among men, individuals aged 15-55, and foreigners, especially outside the bathing season and in unsupervised areas (p<0.001). Severe BRIs were linked to winter (FR 1.92; 95% CI 1.15-3.19), nighttime (FR 2.0; 95% CI 1.6-2.6), dawn (FR 1.6; 95% CI 1.3-2.0), and the bathing season (FR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3-2.7). Clusters revealed at-risk groups: children under 14 at patrolled beaches in summer evenings, men over 55 at unpatrolled areas in autumn, and young females at unpatrolled beaches in winter. Seven captaincies and 20 municipalities had a severe to non-severe BRIs ratio above 1.

Conclusion: BRIs predominantly affect men, young adults, and foreigners. Key risk factors include extreme ages, non-summer seasons, unsupervised areas, and low-light conditions. Targeted interventions, such as adjusting lifeguard schedules to cover high-risk times, promoting safety campaigns for children and older adults, and reinforcing safety infrastructure at unpatrolled beaches, might be important to mitigate risks and reduce incident severity.

Keywords: BRIs; Incidents; Maritime surveillance systems; National Maritime Authority; Portugal; Recreational incidents; Safety.