[The Habits and Perceptions of Participants in Water and Other Outdoor Activities in Terms of Risk Behaviors]

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the habits and perceptions of participants in water and other outdoor activities in terms of health risk behaviours.

Method: A survey was undertaken of 1,200 users of a river in the Greater Montreal area.

Results: Only about 30% of respondents used some form of protection against the sun during every outing. Fewer respondents who used some form of motorized water craft wore personal flotation devices (PFDs) compared with those who used non-motorized water craft (63% vs. 83%). Almost half of the respondents avoided all contact with water unfit for swimming, and this was the only instance of behaviour influenced by a perception of serious health risks. The data also indicate that men and respondents under 25 years of age are not inclined to practise the safe behaviours studied.

Interpretation: These results suggest that effective interventions must be developed for the population in general and for certain sub-groups in particular in order to promote the adoption of safe behaviours during water and other outdoor activities.