Health, Fitness, and Safety Knowledge as Determinants of Adverse Events in Recreational Divers in Poland

NCT07855861 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: APK.002.228.2026
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 384
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

This cross-sectional online survey study assesses health status, physical fitness, and safety knowledge as potential determinants of diving-related adverse events among recreational divers in Poland. Recreational diving exposes participants to specific hazards, including decompression sickness (DCS) and barotrauma of the middle ear, sinuses, and lungs. To date, no Polish study has simultaneously evaluated health, physical fitness, theoretical safety knowledge, and the occurrence of adverse events in this population. Adult divers (18 years or older) who completed at least one dive in the past 24 months and reside in Poland complete an anonymous online questionnaire (about 12 to 18 minutes). Physical fitness is estimated as VO2max using the University of Houston Non-Exercise Test (physical activity rating, age, BMI, and sex). Knowledge of DCS, barotrauma, and safe-diving rules is tested at three difficulty levels. The questionnaire also captures diving exposure, certification level, chronic health conditions, and risky behaviours (smoking, alcohol use, and diving beyond certification). The primary endpoint is the proportion of divers reporting at least one diving-related adverse event. Associations with certification level, estimated VO2max, BMI, and other factors are analysed using multivariable logistic regression. The study is non-interventional, anonymous, and carries minimal risk; no clinical procedures or biological sampling are involved.

Conditions

Decompression Sickness; Barotrauma; Recreational Diving

Keywords

scuba diving; freediving; VO2max; diving safety; adverse events; Poland; diving safety research; physical fitness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Prevalence of diving-related adverse events

  Proportion of divers reporting at least one diving-related adverse event (barotrauma symptoms, decompression sickness symptoms, or other post-dive health problems) occurring at any time during the participant's diving history up to enrollment (lifetime recall). Reported as a percentage with 95% confidence interval.

  At enrollment (Day 1; single cross-sectional assessment)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Estimated VO2max (University of Houston Non-Exercise Test)

  At enrollment (Day 1; single cross-sectional assessment)

• Diving safety knowledge score

  At enrollment (Day 1; single cross-sectional assessment)

• Frequency of risky behaviours

  At enrollment (Day 1; single cross-sectional assessment)

• Adjusted odds ratios for diving-related adverse events

  At enrollment (Day 1; single cross-sectional assessment)

Study Arms (1)

Recreational divers

Adults (18 years or older) residing in Poland who completed at least one dive in the past 24 months and complete the anonymous online survey. A single observational cohort assessed cross-sectionally.

Other: Anonymous online questionnaire

Interventions

Anonymous online questionnaire OTHER

Anonymous online questionnaire completed once by each participant (about 12 to 18 minutes). It captures demographic data, diving exposure and certification level, chronic health conditions, risky behaviours, estimated VO2max (University of Houston Non-Exercise Test), and a diving-safety knowledge test. No clinical procedures or biological sampling are involved; this is the observational data-collection instrument for the cohort.

Recreational divers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult recreational divers residing in Poland who completed at least one dive in the past 24 months, recruited online (convenience sampling) via diving organizations (KDP/CMAS-PTTK, PADI, SSI, IANTD, RAID), dive centers, and themed social-media communities.

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older
• At least one dive within the past 24 months
• Provision of informed consent (checkbox in the survey)
• Residence in Poland (self-declared)

You may not qualify if:

• Age under 18 years
• No dive within the past 24 months
• No consent to participate
• Incomplete completion of survey sections A-C (eligibility, demographics, diving exposure)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medical University of Bialystok: lead

Study Sites (2)

Medical University of Bialystok, Department of Respiratory Physiopathology

Bialystok, Podlaskie Voivodeship, 15-540, Poland

Location

Medical University of Bialystok, II Department of Lung Diseases, Lung Cancer and Internal Medicine

Bialystok, Podlaskie Voivodeship, 15-540, Poland

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Decompression Sickness; Barotrauma

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Wounds and Injuries

Central Study Contacts

Lukasz Minarowski, MD, PhD

CONTACT

+48 85 831 63 83; lukasz.minarowski@umb.edu.pl

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 2, 2026
• First Posted: October 2, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2027
• Last Updated: October 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PL (2)