Firearms Continue to Be Leading Cause of Death in U.S. Children
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 21, 2023 -- In 2021, firearms continued to be a leading cause of death among U.S. children, with a 41.6 percent increase in the firearm death rate from 2018 to 2021, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in Pediatrics.
Bailey K. Roberts, M.D., from the Cohen Children's Medical Center in Queens, New York, and colleagues queried the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research for firearm mortalities in children from 2018 to 2021.
The researchers found that firearms continued to be the leading cause of death in U.S. children in 2021. There was a 46.1 percent increase in the firearm death rate from 2018 to 2021. Among children who died by firearms in 2021, 84.8 percent were male, 49.9 percent were Black, 82.6 percent were aged 15 to 19 years, and 64.3 percent died by homicide. Of firearm homicides, 67.3 percent were among Black children; from 2020 to 2021, there was an increase in the death rate of 1.8. Of firearm suicides, 78.4 percent were among White children. The suicide rate increased among Black and White children from 2020 to 2021 but decreased among American Indian or Alaskan Native children. Worsening clusters of firearm death rates were seen in Southern states, and increasing rates were seen in Midwestern states from 2018 to 2021. Higher poverty levels correlated with higher firearm death rates across the United States.
"These findings highlight the necessity and urgency of real-time epidemiologic surveillance of this epidemic and implementation of evidence-informed strategies to prevent pediatric firearm fatalities among children and adolescents at highest risk," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2023
Read this next
Perinatal Suicide Tied to Intimate Partner Problems, Depression, Substance Use
WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- Perinatal suicide is often associated with intimate partner problems (IPPs) and behavioral health issues, according to a study published online...
High Social Media Use Tied to Depression in Only Some Teens
TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- High social media use is only tied to increased depression in teens who are already vulnerable, according to a study published online June 26 in...
Small Differences in Weight Change With First-Line Antidepressants
MONDAY, July 1, 2024 -- For eight first-line antidepressants, small differences are seen in mean weight change, with the least weight gain with bupropion, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.