4: Unintentional Injury Deaths among Children 0 to 19 Years, United States, 2000 – 2005

4.9: Analysis by Cause

This section describes childhood injury deaths by selected causes in more detail (Fig 6 and 7).

4.9.1: Injury Deaths due to Drowning

Drowning represented 9% of unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for drowning-related injuries was 1.4 per 100,000. Males had death rates nearly three times higher than females (2.0 vs. 0.8 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rate was highest among children 1 to 4 years of age (3.0 per 100,000), followed by children less than 1 year and those 15 to 19 years (1.6 per 100,000). (Fig 23)

State death rates from drowning varied from 0.7 per 100,000 to 3.9 per 100,000. (Fig 24 and Map 7)

4.9.2: Injury Deaths due to Falls

Injuries from falls represented 2% of unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for fall-related injuries was 0.2 per 100,000. Males had death rates nearly three times higher than females (0.3 vs. 0.1 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rates were highest among children 15 to 19 years of age (0.4 per 100,000) and children less than 1 year (0.4 per 100,000). (Fig 25)

Death rates by state are not presented in a map or figure due to the high percentage of states with unreliable fall-related death rates. There was very little difference among states with reliable fall-related death rates. Appendix 4 presents a listing of the number of deaths per state by cause.

4.9.3: Injury Deaths due to Fires or Burns

Fire or burn-related injuries represented 5% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for fire or burn-related injuries was 0.7 per 100,000. Males had a higher death rate than females (0.8 vs. 0.6 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rate was highest among children 1 to 4 years (1.5 per 100,000) and lowest among those over age 10 (0.4 per 100,000). (Fig 26)

State death rates from fire or burn-related injuries varied from 0.2 per 100,000 to 2.4 per 100,000. (Fig 27 and Map 8)

4.9.4: Injury Deaths due to Poisoning

Poisoning represented 5% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for poisoning was 0.8 per 100,000. Males had death rates twice as high as females (1.1 vs. 0.4 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rate was highest among children 15 to 19 years of age (2.5 per 100,000) and lowest among those 5 to 9 years (0.1 per 100,000). (Fig 28)

State death rates from poisoning varied from 0.2 per 100,000 to 2.1 per 100,000. (Fig 29 and Map 9)

4.9.5: Injury Deaths due to Suffocation

Suffocation represented 8% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for suffocation was 1.2 per 100,000. Males had higher death rates than females (1.4 vs. 0.9 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rate was highest among children less than 1 year of age (16.1 per 100,000). Suffocation was the leading cause of injury death in children less than 1 year of age. (Fig 30)

State death rates from suffocation varied from 0.5 per 100,000 to 4.4 per 100,000. (Fig 31 and Map 10)

4.9.6: Injury Deaths related to Transportation

Transportation-related injuries represented 66% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. These deaths occur among all road user types (e.g., MVT occupants, pedestrians and pedal cyclists) and all vehicle types. The death rate for transportation-related injuries was 9.8 per 100,000. Males had death rates nearly twice as high than females (12.4 vs. 7.2 per 100,000). The rate was highest among those 15 to 19 years of age (26.4 per 100,000) and lowest among those 5 to 9 years and those less than 1 year (3.6 and 3.7 per 100,000, respectively). (Fig 32)

State death rates from transportation-related injuries varied from 4.7 per 100,000 to 19.5 per 100,000. (Fig 33 and Map 11)

Deaths due to MVT Occupant Injuries

MVT occupant injuries represented 31% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for MVT occupant injuries was 4.6 per 100,000. Males had death rates nearly twice as high as females (5.6 vs. 3.6 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rate was highest among children 15 to 19 years of age (13.5 per 100,000) and lowest among those 5 to 9 years and those 1 to 4 years of age (1.3 and 1.4 per 100,000, respectively). (Fig 34)

State death rates from MVT occupant injuries varied from 0.7 per 100,000 to 15.1 per 100,000. (Fig 35 and Map 12)

Deaths due to Pedal Cyclist Injuries

Pedal cyclist injuries represented 2% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for pedal cyclist injuries was 0.2 per 100,000. Males had death rates nearly four times higher than females (0.4 vs. 0.1 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rate was highest among children 10 to 14 years of age (0.4 per 100,000). (Fig 36)

Death rates by state are not presented in a map or figure due to the high percentage of states with unreliable pedal cyclist death rates. There was very little difference among states with reliable death rates. Appendix 4 presents a listing of the number of deaths per state by cause.

Deaths due to Pedestrian Injuries

Pedestrian injuries represented 8% of the unintentional injury deaths among children 0 to 19 years of age. The death rate for pedestrian injury was 1.2 per 100,000. Males had death rates nearly twice as high as females (1.5 vs. 0.8 per 100,000). (Fig 8) The rates were highest among children 1 to 4 years of age (1.7 per 100,000) and those 15 to 19 years of age (1.6 per 100,000). (Fig 37)

State death rates from pedestrian injuries varied from 0.5 per 100,000 to 2.0 per 100,000. (Fig 38 & Map 13)

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