Child Mortality in United States

United States

Most childhood deaths are preventable. In the period from 2021 to 2023, the leading causes of death among children in the United States ages 1-19 were accidents (unintentional injuries), homicide, suicide, cancer and congenital abnormalities. Parents or family members commit most homicides of young children, while older children are more likely to be killed by acquaintances. The leading mechanisms of injury deaths (intentional and unintentional) in 2021-2023 were firearms, followed by motor vehicle traffic accidents and poisoning. The U.S. is the only nation among its economic peers where firearms are the leading cause of child mortality.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the rate of child mortality is higher among:

• Boys, who have a child mortality rate nearly twice as high as girls.
• Youth ages 15-19, who have the highest mortality rate, followed by those ages 1-4 and those ages 5-14.
• American Indian/Alaska Native and Black youth, both of whom have a child mortality rate four times that of Asian youth.

To combat accidents as the leading cause of child mortality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published resources and recommendations on drowning prevention; proper use of car seats, booster seats and seat belts to reduce car crash injuries; and familial and school support approaches to reduce substance use and related injury. The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends universal school-based programs to help reduce violent behavior among students. Other strategies and programs for youth violence prevention are available from the CDC as well.

Youth suicide is preventable. Prevention efforts can work at all levels of influence — individual, relationship, community and societal. Some ways to reduce suicide rates for at-risk youth include:

• Knowing the signs. Four out of every five suicide deaths are preceded by warning signs such as suicide threats, previous suicide attempts, depression, preoccupation or obsession with death and making final arrangements. 

• Implementing school-based mental health services. In addition to building social skills, self-awareness and leadership, these programs have been shown to help students achieve academically. A study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health found that providing school-based mental health services decreased self-reported suicide attempts by 15%.
• Making it more difficult to die in an act of deliberate self-harm. Interventions include lethal means counseling, building suicide barriers on bridges and removing guns from homes with youth who show warning signs or may be at risk for suicide. 

In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was launched to provide an easy-to-remember number for 24/7 confidential crisis support for people in distress. Their website offers additional forms of crisis support through text and online chat, as well as other accessibility, prevention and crisis resources.

Healthy People 2030 has an objective to reduce the child mortality rate.

Barber, Catherine W., and Matthew J. Miller. “Reducing a Suicidal Person’s Access to Lethal Means of Suicide.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 47, no. 3 (September 2014): S264–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.05.028.

Golberstein, Ezra, Irina Zainullina, Aaron Sojourner, and Mark A. Sander. “Effects of School-Based Mental Health Services on Youth Outcomes.” Journal of Human Resources 59, no. S (April 2024): S256–81. https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1222-12703R2.

Puzzanchera, Charles, Sarah Hockenberry, and Melissa Sickmund. Youth and the Juvenile Justice System: 2022 National Report. Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, December 2022.https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/publications/2022-national-report.pdf.