Health Status > Children

CHILD MORTALITY

In 2003, 11,841 children between the ages of 1 and 14 years died of various causes; this was 190 fewer than the previous year. The overall death rate among 1- to 4-year-olds was 31.1 per 100,000, and the rate among 5- to 14-year-olds was 16.9 per 100,000. The leading cause of death among 1- to 4-year-olds continues to be unintentional injury, which accounted for 34.2 percent of all deaths in this age group in 2003. The next most common cause of death was congenital malformations (birth defects), followed by malignant neoplasms (cancer), homicide, and diseases of the heart. Unintentional injury was also the leading cause of death among 5- to 14-year-olds in 2003, accounting for 37.0 percent of deaths among this age group. This was followed by malignant neoplasms, congenital malformations, homicide, suicide, and diseases of the heart.

> Bar Chart: Leading Causes of Death Among Children Ages 1-14: 2003

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Child Health USA 2005 is not copyrighted. Readers are free to duplicate and use all or part of the information contained on this page. Suggested Citation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Child Health USA 2005. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005.