Child mortality rates in the United States are at their highest in fifty years, according to a new analysis by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Between 2019 and 2021, the all-cause mortality rate for youth in the United States ages 1 to 19 increased by almost 20%, according to the analysis. Though the reported increase in deaths were noted during the same period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deaths themselves were mostly caused by injury, namely homicides and suicides, rather than a global contagion.
Although the analysis shows that suicides and homicides began to rise among youth aged 10 to 19 in 2007 and 2013 respectively, researchers believe that the pandemic “may have poured fuel on the fire,” with homicides increasing by 39.1% in this period and drug overdoses increasing by 113.5%.
The death rate for children and adolescents rose by nearly 20 percent between 2019 and 2021. https://t.co/8vgPWEBLXD
— The Hill (@thehill) March 22, 2023
“The increases in fatal injuries that preceded and may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic mark a tragic reversal to years of progress in lowering pediatric mortality rates through advances in injury prevention,” the study authors stated in the analysis. Citing increased safety measures for vehicles, increased use of bicycle helmets, smoke detectors and medical advancements as measures that have reduced childhood mortality over the years, the authors now state those gains are being offset by “violence, self-harm and drug misuse.”
“Bullets, drugs, and automobiles are now causing a youth death toll sufficient to elevate all-cause mortality rates, the largest such increase in recent memory,” the analysis stated. “Without bold action to reverse the trend, children’s risk of not reaching adulthood may increase.”
The study has called for research and policy efforts to focus attention on the underlying causes for the increase, including mental health issues, societal conflicts and opioid use. (RELATED: The Collapse Of Teen Mental Health-And deadly Mass Shootings-Can Be Traced To One Single Trend)
“We have a dramatic lack of appropriate mental health services for children,”Leticia Ryan, an associate professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University and director of pediatric emergency medicine at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center told The Hill. Ryan added that for years hospital emergency rooms have struggled with being able to care for children struggling who have attempted to take their own lives.
As for the rest of the analysis, Ryan told the outlet the data “very much aligns” with what hospitals have seen over the past few years with rising pediatric injuries due to gun violence, suicide and car accidents.
“I think we’re seeing a convergence of a number of concerning risk factors and trends,” Ryan stated. “It should be a wake-up call for all of us.”