Case Study of Rip Current Knowledge amongst Students Participating in a Study Abroad Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v28i1.379Keywords:
Rip current, Study abroad, Student safety, Natural hazardAbstract
Students studying abroad or participating in a foreign exchange often visit a beach during their time abroad, but little is known about their understanding of rip currents and other surf hazards, their behavior, their choices, or if they take precautions when visiting a beach. This study describes the results of a survey of Texas A&M University students who completed a study abroad program between May 2013 and May 2015. Results of the survey suggest that a majority of the students surveyed (~74%) visited at least one beach during their time abroad, and over 50% of students visited more than 2 beaches. The visit to the beach was optional for most of the respondents and most went as part of a group. Decisions about the beaches visited tended to be based on convenience and recommendations from other students, tourists, or locals, and were rarely based on safety. Results of this preliminary study point to a need for implementing proactive beach safety education programs for students studying abroad.
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References
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Brannstrom C, Brown HL, Houser C, Trimble S, Santos A. “You can't see them from sitting here”: Evaluating beach user understanding of a rip current warning sign. Applied Geography. 2015 Jan 31;56:61-70.
Brighton B, Sherker S, Brander R, Thompson M, Bradstreet A, (2013). Rip current related drowning deaths and rescues in Australia: 2004-2011. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 13: 1069-1075.
Caldwell N, Houser C, Meyer-Arendt K, (2013). Ability of beach users to identify rip currents at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Natural Hazards 68: 1041-1056.
Gensini VA, Ashley WS (2010) An examination of rip current fatalities in the United States. Natural Hazards 54: 159-175.
Houser C, Barrett G, Labude D (2011) Alongshore variation in the rip current hazard at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Natural Hazards, 57: 501-523.
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Klein AH, Santana GG, Diehl FL, De Menezes JT. Analysis of hazards associated with sea bathing: results of five years work in oceanic beaches of Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. Journal of Coastal Research. 2003 Apr 1:107-16.
Mason MJ, Mennis J, Linker J, Bares C, Zaharakis N. Peer attitudes effects on adolescent substance use: The moderating role of race and gender. Prevention science. 2014 Feb 1;15(1):56-64.
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Møller M, Haustein S. Peer influence on speeding behaviour among male drivers aged 18 and 28. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 2014 Mar 31;64:92-9.
Morgan D, Ozanne-Smith J, Triggs T (2009) Self-reported water and drowning risk exposure at surf beaches. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 33(2): 180-88
Scott T, Russell P, Masselink G, Wooler A. Rip current variability and hazard along a macro-tidal coast. Journal of coastal research. 2009 Jan 1(56):895.
Sherker S, Brander R, Finch C, Hatfield J. Why Australia needs an effective national campaign to reduce coastal drowning. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2008 Jan 4;11(2):81-3.
Sherker S, Williamson A, Hatfield J, Brander R, Hayen A (2010) Beachgoers’ beliefs and behaviours in relation to beach flags and rip currents. Accident Analysis and Prevention 42: 1785-1804
Short AD, Hogan CI (1994) Rip currents and beach hazards: their impact on public safety and implications for coastal management. Journal of Coastal Research SI12: 197-209.
Wilks J, de Nardi M, Wodarski R (2007) Close is not close enough: drowning and rescues outside flagged beach patrol areas in Australia. Tourism in Marine Environments 4: 57-62.
Williamson A, Hatfield J, Sherker S, Brander R, Hayen A (2012) A comparison of attitudes and knowledge of beach safety in Australia for beachgoers, rural residents and international tourists. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 36: 385-391.
Arozarena I, Houser C, Echeverria AG, Brannstrom C. The rip current hazard in Costa Rica. Natural Hazards. 2015 Jun 1;77(2):753-68.
Barlas B, Beji S. Rip current fatalities on the Black Sea beaches of Istanbul and effects of cultural aspects in shaping the incidents. Natural Hazards. 2016 Jan 1;80(2):811-21.
Barrett G, Houser C. Identifying hotspots of rip current activity using wavelet analysis at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Physical Geography. 2012 Jan 1;33(1):32-49.
Brander RW, MacMahan JH. Future challenges for rip current research and outreach. Rip Currents, Beach Safety, Physical Oceanography and Wave Modeling, edited by: Leatherman, S. and Fletemeyer, J., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 2011 May 9:1-29.
Brannstrom, C., S. Trimble, A. Santos, H. Lee Brown, C. Houser (2014), “Perception of the rip current hazard on Galveston Island and North Padre Island, Texas, USA,” Natural Hazards 72(2): 1123-1138.
Brannstrom C, Brown HL, Houser C, Trimble S, Santos A. “You can't see them from sitting here”: Evaluating beach user understanding of a rip current warning sign. Applied Geography. 2015 Jan 31;56:61-70.
Brighton B, Sherker S, Brander R, Thompson M, Bradstreet A, (2013). Rip current related drowning deaths and rescues in Australia: 2004-2011. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 13: 1069-1075.
Caldwell N, Houser C, Meyer-Arendt K, (2013). Ability of beach users to identify rip currents at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Natural Hazards 68: 1041-1056.
Gensini VA, Ashley WS (2010) An examination of rip current fatalities in the United States. Natural Hazards 54: 159-175.
Houser C, Barrett G, Labude D (2011) Alongshore variation in the rip current hazard at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Natural Hazards, 57: 501-523.
Primack BA, Kim KH, Shensa A, Sidani JE, Barnett TE, Switzer GE. Tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol use in university students: a cluster analysis. Journal of American College Health. 2012 Jul 1;60(5):374-86.
Klein AH, Santana GG, Diehl FL, De Menezes JT. Analysis of hazards associated with sea bathing: results of five years work in oceanic beaches of Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. Journal of Coastal Research. 2003 Apr 1:107-16.
Mason MJ, Mennis J, Linker J, Bares C, Zaharakis N. Peer attitudes effects on adolescent substance use: The moderating role of race and gender. Prevention science. 2014 Feb 1;15(1):56-64.
Matthews B, Andronaco R, Adams A. Warning signs at beaches: Do they work?. Safety science. 2014 Feb 28;62:312-8.
Møller M, Haustein S. Peer influence on speeding behaviour among male drivers aged 18 and 28. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 2014 Mar 31;64:92-9.
Morgan D, Ozanne-Smith J, Triggs T (2009) Self-reported water and drowning risk exposure at surf beaches. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 33(2): 180-88
Scott T, Russell P, Masselink G, Wooler A. Rip current variability and hazard along a macro-tidal coast. Journal of coastal research. 2009 Jan 1(56):895.
Sherker S, Brander R, Finch C, Hatfield J. Why Australia needs an effective national campaign to reduce coastal drowning. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2008 Jan 4;11(2):81-3.
Sherker S, Williamson A, Hatfield J, Brander R, Hayen A (2010) Beachgoers’ beliefs and behaviours in relation to beach flags and rip currents. Accident Analysis and Prevention 42: 1785-1804
Short AD, Hogan CI (1994) Rip currents and beach hazards: their impact on public safety and implications for coastal management. Journal of Coastal Research SI12: 197-209.
Wilks J, de Nardi M, Wodarski R (2007) Close is not close enough: drowning and rescues outside flagged beach patrol areas in Australia. Tourism in Marine Environments 4: 57-62.
Williamson A, Hatfield J, Sherker S, Brander R, Hayen A (2012) A comparison of attitudes and knowledge of beach safety in Australia for beachgoers, rural residents and international tourists. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 36: 385-391.
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Published
2016-11-17
How to Cite
Houser, C., Brander, R., Brannstrom, C., Trimble, S., & Flaherty, J. (2016). Case Study of Rip Current Knowledge amongst Students Participating in a Study Abroad Program. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 28(1), 42–60. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v28i1.379
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Research Articles
