Annual Diving Report - Divers Alert Network

2. PROJECT DIVE EXPLORATION
The Scapa Flow Group from Scotland (CWWD) represents cold water wreck divers. The
Recreational Dive Professionals (RDP) Group represents dives collected by dive instructors and
dive guides mainly in the Caribbean. Independent divers submitted dive logs directly to DAN via
the internet from the dive log software (DL7 Level 3-compatible) available with Cochran and
DiveRite computers and, recently, Uwatec computers.
2.2 Divers
This section presents information about PDE divers including age, gender, certification, years
since certification, and chronic and acute medical conditions. While PDE divers were volunteers
from the general recreational diving population, they were not necessarily representative of this
population. Most were 30 to 50 years of age and 30 percent were female (Figure 2.2-1). Twentytwo
percent were over age 50, and four percent were under age 20 (Figure 2.2-2). Sixty-six
percent of female divers held Open Water, Advanced Open Water, or Specialty certification while
this fraction was only 46 percent for males (Figure 2.2-3). Forty-nine percent of males held Cave,
Technical, Instructor, Rescue Diver, or Dive Master certification while only 30 percent of females
did so. Only one percent were student divers. Thirty-eight percent were within five years of
certification. This group has declined in size from about 42 percent since 1998 (Table 2.2-1).
Divers with more than ten years since certification had increased from about 26 percent in earlier
years to 38 percent in 2004 reflecting aging of the general diving population seen elsewhere.
Allergy, high blood pressure, and ear or sinus problems (8 to 20 percent) were the most common
chronic health conditions (Figure 2.2-4). Less common conditions (2-3 percent) included asthma,
heart disease, previous DCI, and diabetes. Reported acute health conditions (Figure 2.2-5)
included orthopedic problems and seasickness (16 percent) and flu or upper respiratory infections
(five percent).
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