Epidemiology and prevention of adolescent injury; a review and research agenda

Article Abstract:

Injuries are the leading cause of death for individuals below the age of 44; 40 percent of the loss of potential life before age 65 occurs as a result of injury. Injuries claim the lives of 57 percent of adolescents who die between the ages of 10 through 14, and for those aged 15 to 20 this figures rises to 79 percent. For every fatality of an adolescent there are 41 additional injuries requiring hospitalization and another 1,100 which require emergency medical attention. As large as these numbers are, it is likely that they are low because nonfatal injuries often go unreported. Injury-related disabilities of three months duration or more are experienced annually for 1.7 million individuals under the age of 25. Data establish that the injury-related death rate for adolescent males is nearly 10-fold greater than for females. It is assumed, although relatively unsupported by research, that the injury rate in males is related to their exposure to dangerous or higher-risk activities, such as driving, high-risk contact sports, and more physical and dangerous jobs. Data on racial effects show that the rate of injury in Native American groups is nearly 100 percent higher than for Afro-Americans and caucasians. Asian Americans have the lowest rates for risk of injury. Although homicide in Afro-Americans occurs at a rate which is five-fold that of whites, Native Americans and whites have suicide rates which are significantly higher than those of Afro-Americans. The rate of suicide has steadily increased from 2.7 per 100,000 population in 1950 to 8.5 per 100,000 population in 1980, largely as a consequence of a four-fold increase in white males. There are different characteristics of the nature of injuries seen in urban and rural populations, and in various socioeconomic groups. Studies have shown that the greatest percentage of injuries and injury-related deaths of adolescent populations occurs pursuant to motor vehicle accidents, particularly at night. Homicide is the leading cause of death for black males between 14 and 44 years of age, and in some locations the rate may be as high as 99.8 deaths per 100,000 per year. The greatest number of homicides in adolescents is caused by guns. Drowning and such high risk sports as football constitute a significant percentage of both morbidity and mortality. Occupation-related injuries in adolescents have not been greatly studied; however, youths working in convenience stores and gas stations appear to be at risk for shootings, and those involved in farm-related work are also at increased risk for injury.

Patient outcomes, Mortality, Causes of, Teenagers, Youth

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Fatal residential fires: who dies and who survives?

Article Abstract:

Smoke detectors and a potential rescuer can reduce mortality rates from residential fires. Researchers in North Carolina analyzed data on fatalities resulting from residential fires in a one-year period. During that time, 190 people died in a residential fire. Sixty-five percent were male and half of those whose blood alcohol was measured were intoxicated. People younger than five or older than 63 were more likely to die as were those with a cognitive or physical impairment. These people were less likely to die if a potential rescuer lived in the home and a smoke detector was present.

Risk factors, Fires, Mass casualties

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Injury mortality among American Indian and Alaska Native children and youth -- United States, 1989-1998

Article Abstract:

Many native American reservations in the US have higher death rates among children and teenagers from motor vehicle accidents than most of the states. Death rates from homicide also increased in these communities between 1989 and 1998. The Indian Health Service in 2000 gave money to 25 tribes to help them establish injury prevention programs in tribal health departments.

United States, Labor Distribution by Employer, Native American youth

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