A new study finds that the death rates have dropped in recent decades but they are still higher than other developed countries among infants, teens and young adults in U.S.
Experts view
Meredith Shiels, She is an investigator with the U.S. Nationals Cancer Institute’s division of cancer epidemiology and genetics as well as a senior study author.
Meredith Shiels said “Despite overall reduced mortality, striking racial disparities still exist for infants, child and youth mortality in the U.S., and there has been a concerning increase in death rates due to suicide and drug overdoses among youth.”
Additionally she said “The findings of this study support the urgent need for policies and interventions that aim to prevent drug poisoning and suicide, such as improved diagnosis and treatment of depression in youth.”
Shiels said “Efforts to improve maternal health and access to health care, and to educate parents about healthy sleeping habits for infants, should remain a priority”
The given data is taken for the study by researchers from death certificates of the U.S. Nationals Center for Health Statistics, Statistics Canada and the UK Office of National Statistics.
| Figure for infant and young adult deaths in developed countries | ||
| Country | Count (1999-2015) | |
| 1. | U.S. | 1.1 million |
| 2. | Canada | 81,000 |
| 3. | England & Wales | 121,000 |
Mortality rates declines in United States, Canada and England and Wales overall the figure is 39% decline in infant deaths.
| Division of percentage based drop in death | ||
| Age based | Percentage drop | |
| 1. | Children | 11% |
| 2. | Teens | 23% |
| 3. | Young Adults | 28% |
Instead of all this the death rate in United States were highest compared to other developed countries.
From the total death 64% were male population
| In terms of Population Percentage wise division of death people | ||
| Population Division | Percentage | |
| 1. | White population | 53% |
| 2. | Black population | 25% |
| 3. | Hispanic | 18% |
SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome), injury and homicide are most notable causes for drop in deaths.
Researchers also found some other causes of deaths in U.S. which is unintentional suffocation and strangulation in bed, increasing from six per 100,000 in 1999 to 29 per 100,000 in 2002
Shiels explained “The increase in suffocation and strangulation in bed is likely due to reclassification of SIDS cases.”
Dr Leopoldo Malvezzi, truma medical director at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami said “The numbers are pretty scary, Black infants are two times more likely to die than white babies.”
Fewer infant deaths are the result of improved care for premature infants and progress in preventing birth defects, said Malvezzi. Dr Malvezzi also stresses the need of increasing the efforts to prevent suicides and drug overdose among teens and young adults.
Dr Malvezzi said “Our adolescent and young adults are dying much more here and elsewhere.” He added “Suicide prevention has got to become more of an issue because we are losing a lot young adults and children to suicide and drugs.”
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