Excess injury mortality among children in the United States: comparison of recent international statistics

Abstract

Using data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the World Health Organization, child injury death rates in the US were compared to those of Canada, England and Wales, France, Netherlands, and Norway. Except for the 1981 Canadian figure, overall US childhood injury mortality was greater than childhood injury mortality rates of all countries studied during each year from 1980 to 1986. Injury mortality steadily declined in most other countries, whereas the US rate appears to be increasing. Attention to specific causes reveals that much of the difference is explained by motor vehicle injuries and homicide, but in every childhood age group US death rates due to drowning, firearms, homicide, poisoning, and fire are among the highest. Excess US injury mortality is largely attributable to deaths among children younger than 5 and older than 14 years of age, the most vulnerable groups in all countries. Especially high rates among US minorities account for little of the observed differences; for many injuries, the mortality rate of US nonblacks is several times those reported by the comparison nations. Behavioral strategies are inadequate to deal with excess death rates of this magnitude. Limiting exposure through regulation of handguns, greater use of public transportation, and affordable and accessible day care are among the measures that should be implemented.