Patterns of Mortality for Children and Adolescents in Early 20th-Century Alaska

Odds of death from specific causes in infants, children, and adolescents in Alaska have not been quantified with vital records. We analyze the odds of death from 12 causes in individuals ≤ 18 years.

We fit a multinomial logistic regression model (n = 12 904 death records) controlling for Indigeneity, age, sex, and year of death to predict the odds of specific causes of death.

Alaska Native individuals were most likely to die from tuberculosis and respiratory infections, while non-Alaska Native individuals were most likely to die from early infant health problems and accidents/violence. Infectious diseases and nutritional and endocrine disorders were most likely in ages 0-5, while accidents/violence, cardiovascular issues, and tuberculosis were most likely in ages 10-18.

Proportionate mortality and odds of death differed significantly, reflecting the different structures of Alaska Native versus non-Alaska Native populations in the 20th century and reinforcing demographic observations in the historical record.