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Almost 19 million childhood injuries result in 11 thousand deaths
1Department of General Dentistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 11794-8706, USA.
Insights
Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children under ten. Despite a 10% decrease in the death rate, 11,000 children died from accidents in 1992.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Accidental injuries represent a significant public health concern for children in the United States.
- In 1992, over 83,000 accidental deaths and 17 million injuries occurred, with unintentional injuries being the primary cause of death for children under ten.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the incidence of accidental deaths and injuries among children.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current strategies aimed at reducing child accident fatalities and injuries.
- To present detailed statistics on various causes of accidental death and injury in children.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of government and private agency reports detailing child accidents and fatalities.
- Statistical compilation of injury and death data from 1992.
- Categorization of accidents by cause, including motor vehicles, firearms, consumer products, and poison.
Main Results:
- In 1992, 11,000 children died from accidents, and 19 million sustained injuries.
- The overall accidental death rate decreased by 10% from 1991, reaching a recent low.
- Males consistently experienced higher rates of accidental injury and death compared to females across all age groups.
Conclusions:
- Unintentional injuries remain the leading cause of death for children under ten.
- Accidental deaths significantly outnumbered deaths from natural causes in older child age groups (5-14 years).
- Continued efforts are necessary to further reduce the incidence of preventable childhood accidents.
Abstract:
Details are provided from a series of government and private agency reports on the accidents and related deaths of children and the effectiveness of efforts being made to reduce the incidence of these tragedies. In 1992 there were 83,000 accidental deaths and more than 17 million disabling injuries in the United States costing $399 billion. The death rate was down 10 percent from 1991, and also the lowest recorded in recent years. Included in these statistics are 19 million injured children and 11 thousand dead children. The leading cause of death of children less than ten years of age was an unintentional injury. The author presents details on the accidents and related deaths, as well as the effectiveness of efforts to reduce the incidence of these accidents. From the youngest ages to the teen years, a greater number of males than females are injured and die from accident-related causes. The number of accidental deaths of children, ages five to nine years, almost equalled the number of deaths from natural causes. For children ten to fourteen years old, the number of accidental deaths was one third greater than the number from natural causes. Statistics regarding death and injury from motor vehicles, firearms, consumer products, and poison are presented.