The leading causes of death among children aged 5 to 9 years in the United States in 2023 were unintentional injuries, cancer, and congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities. At that time, unintentional injuries accounted for around 27 percent of all deaths among this age group. Child abuse in the U.S. Sadly, assault or homicide was the fourth leading cause of death among those aged 5 to 9 years in the United States in 2023, accounting for around 8.4 percent of all deaths. That year, there were around 112,808 cases of child abuse in the U.S. among children aged 6 to 9 years and 128,004 cases among children aged 2 to 5 years. In 2023, there were around 5.39 child deaths per day in the United States due to abuse and neglect. Suicide among children Assault or homicide was also among the top five leading causes of death among children aged 10 to 14 years, but perhaps even more troubling is that suicide is the second leading cause of death among this age group. As with younger children, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 14 years; however, suicide accounts for around 14 percent of all deaths among this age group. Comparatively, suicide is not among the ten leading causes of death among children from the ages of 1 to 9 years.

Over the last few years, gun violence in the United States has become an increasingly deadly public health crisis. In 2021, firearms were the leading cause of death for children and adolescents aged one to 19 years old for a second year in a row in the United States, with ***** deaths from firearms, which accounted for more deaths than car crashes and other diseases in that year. This is an increase from the previous year, when there were ***** deaths from firearms. Gun violence in the U.S. Along with a rise in gun-related deaths, the United States has been experiencing an overall increase in gun violence, including mass shootings, school shootings, and gun homicides. Not surprisingly, the United States has also reported in increase in gun sales, with the unit sales for firearms reaching a new high in recent years. A uniquely American problem Despite the rise of gun violence and gun-related deaths, guns remain easily accessible in the United States and gun control has become a divisive issue throughout the nation. However, gun control proponents often call attention to the uniquely American phenomenon of school shootings. Since 2018, the annual number of incidents involving firearms at K-12 schools in the U.S. reached over *** in each year, while similar incidents in other countries with strict gun laws are exceptionally rare.

In 2023, the leading causes of death for children aged one to four years in the United States were unintentional injuries and congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities. At that time, around 31 percent of all deaths among these children were caused by unintentional injuries. Differences in causes of death among children by age Just as unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among children aged one to four, it is also the leading cause of death for the age groups five to nine and 10 to 14. However, congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities account for fewer deaths as children become older, while the share of deaths caused by cancer is higher among those aged five to nine and 10 to 14. In fact, cancer is the second leading cause of death among five to nine-year-olds, accounting for around 16 percent of all deaths. Sadly, the second leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 14 is intentional self-harm, with 14 percent of all deaths among those in this age group caused by suicide. Leading causes of death in the United States The leading causes of death in the United States are heart disease and malignant neoplasms. Together, these two diseases accounted for around 42 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2023. In 2023, the lifetime odds that the average person in the United States would die from heart disease was one in six, while the odds for cancer were one in seven.

In 2023, the leading causes of death among children and adolescents in the United States aged 10 to 14 were unintentional injuries, intentional self-harm (suicide), and cancer. That year, unintentional injuries accounted for around 26 percent of all deaths among this age group. Leading causes of death among older teens Like those aged 10 to 14 years, the leading cause of death among older teenagers in the U.S. aged 15 to 19 years is unintentional injuries. In 2023, unintentional injuries accounted for around 39 percent of all deaths among older teens. However, unlike those aged 10 to 14, the second leading cause of death among teens aged 15 to 19 is assault or homicide. Sadly, the third leading cause of death among this age group is suicide, making suicide among the leading three causes of death for both age groups. Teen suicide Suicide remains a major problem among teenagers in the United States, as reflected in the leading causes of death among this age group. It was estimated that in 2021, around 22 percent of high school students in the U.S. considered attempting suicide in the past year, with this rate twice as high for girls as for boys. The states with the highest death rates due to suicide among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years are New Mexico, Idaho, and Oklahoma. In 2023, the death rate from suicide among this age group in New Mexico was 27.7 per 100,000 population. In comparison, New Jersey, the state with the lowest rate, had just 5.5 suicide deaths among those aged 15 to 19 years per 100,000 population.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and mortality rates for the leading causes of infant death (under one year of age), by sex, 2000 to most recent year.

The child mortality rate in the United States, for children under the age of five, was 462.9 deaths per thousand births in 1800. This means that for every thousand babies born in 1800, over 46 percent did not make it to their fifth birthday. Over the course of the next 220 years, this number has dropped drastically, and the rate has dropped to its lowest point ever in 2020 where it is just seven deaths per thousand births. Although the child mortality rate has decreased greatly over this 220 year period, there were two occasions where it increased; in the 1870s, as a result of the fourth cholera pandemic, smallpox outbreaks, and yellow fever, and in the late 1910s, due to the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Number of deaths and age-specific mortality rates for selected grouped causes, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

Number of infant deaths and infant mortality rates, by age group (neonatal and post-neonatal), 1991 to most recent year.

Number of deaths and mortality rates, by age group, sex, and place of residence, 1991 to most recent year.

The leading causes of infant death in the United States are congenital malformations, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome. In 2023, congenital malformations accounted for around 20 percent of all infant deaths in the United States. Infant mortality in the United States Infant mortality refers to the death of a child under the age of one. In the United States, there were around 20,577 infant deaths in 2022. However, the infant mortality rate in the United States has decreased steadily over the past few decades. In 1990, the infant mortality rate was 9.4 per 1,000 live births, but had dropped to around 5.4 per 1,000 live births by 2022. Rates of infant mortality do vary depending on the state and region. For example, the infant mortality rate in Mississippi in 2022 was 9.11 per 1,000 live births, compared to a rate of just 3.32 per 1,000 live births in Massachusetts. What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the third leading cause of infant death in the United States with a rate of around 40 deaths per 100,000 live births. SIDS is the unexplained death of an infant. In such cases, the baby usually seems to be healthy but suddenly dies, often during sleep. The cause of SIDS is unknown, but may be connected to problems in the brain controlling breathing and waking from sleep. In 2022, there were an estimated 1,531 deaths from SIDS in the United States. Mississippi and Arkansas are the states with the highest rates of sudden unexpected infant death, while Massachusetts and California have the lowest rates.

This table presents a wide variety of historical data in the field of health, lifestyle and health care. Figures on births and mortality, causes of death and the occurrence of certain infectious diseases are available from 1900, other series from later dates. In addition to self-perceived health, the table contains figures on infectious diseases, hospitalisations per diagnosis, life expectancy, lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity, and causes of death. The table also gives information on several aspects of health care, such as the number of practising professionals, the number of available hospital beds, nursing day averages and the expenditures on care. Many subjects are also covered in more detail by data in other tables, although sometimes with a shorter history. Data on notifiable infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS are not included in other tables.

Data available from: 1900

Status of the figures:

2025: The available figures are definite.

2024: Most available figures are definite. Figures are provisional for: - notifiable infectious diseases, hiv, aids; - causes of death.

2023: Most available figures are definite. Figures are provisional for: - notifiable infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS; - diagnoses at hospital admissions; - number of hospital discharges and length of stay; - number of hospital beds; - health professions; - perinatal and infant mortality. Figures are revised provisional for: - expenditures on health and welfare.

2022: Most available figures are definite. Figures are provisional for: - notifiable infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS; - diagnoses at hospital admissions; - number of hospital discharges and length of stay; - number of hospital beds; - health professions. Figures are revised provisional for: - expenditures on health and welfare.

2021: Most available figures are definite. Figures are provisional for: - notifiable infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS; Figures are revised provisional for: - expenditures on health and welfare.

2020 and earlier: Most available figures are definite. Due to 'dynamic' registrations, figures for notifiable infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS remain provisional.

Changes as of 4 July 2025: The most recent available figures have been added for: - population on January 1; - live born children, deaths; - persons in (very) good health; - notifiable infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS; - diagnoses at hospital admissions; - use of medication; - sickness absence; - lifestyle; - use of health care services; - number of hospital discharges and length of stay; - number of hospital beds; - health professions; - expenditures on health and welfare; - healthy life expectancy; - causes of death.

Changes as of 18 december 2024: - Due to a revision of the statistics Health and welfare expenditure 2021, figures for expenditure on health and welfare have been replaced from 2021 onwards. - Revised figures on the volume index of healthcare costs are not yet available, these figures have been deleted from 2021 onwards.

When will new figures be published? December 2025.

The child mortality rate in the United Kingdom, for children under the age of five, was 329 deaths per thousand births in 1800. This means that approximately one in every three children born in 1800 did not make it to their fifth birthday. Over the course of the next 220 years, this number has dropped drastically, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century, and the rate has dropped to its lowest point ever in 2020 where it is just four deaths per thousand births.

BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic remains a critical global health concern, with older adults being the most vulnerable group. Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that COVID-19 has caused numerous deaths in children worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that infants and breastfeeding children, particularly those aged below one year, face a greater risk of hospitalization and mortality than older children with COVID-19.ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 among children during the early phase of the pandemic in Ecuador.MethodsWe conducted a country-wide population-based analysis of the epidemiology of COVID-19, using incidence and mortality data reported from Ecuador between February 15, 2020 and May 14 2021. Measurements of frequency, central tendency, dispersion, and absolute differences were calculated for all categorical and continuous variables.ResultsAt least 34,001 cases (23,587 confirmed cases, 5,315 probable and 5,099 suspected) and 258 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported among children in Ecuador during the first 16 months of the pandemic. The overall incidence rate was 612 cases per 100,000 children, the mortality rate was 3 per 100,000, while the case fatality rate was 0.76%. The highest risk group for infection was children and adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age; however, the highest mortality rate occurred in children under one year of age. The largest provinces, such as Pichincha, Guavas and Manabí, were the ones that reported the highest number of cases, 27%, 12.1% and 10.8%, respectively.ConclusionsThis study is the first to report on COVID-19 epidemics among children in Ecuador. Our findings reveal that younger children have a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but a higher risk of mortality compared to older children and adolescents. Additionally, we observed significant disparities in infection rates and outcomes among children living in rural areas, those with comorbidities, and those from indigenous ethnic groups.

The number of maternal deaths and maternal mortality rates for selected causes, 2000 to most recent year.

This statistic shows the 20 countries* with the highest infant mortality rate in 2024. An estimated 101.3 infants per 1,000 live births died in the first year of life in Afghanistan in 2024. Infant and child mortality Infant mortality usually refers to the death of children younger than one year. Child mortality, which is often used synonymously with infant mortality, is the death of children younger than five. Among the main causes are pneumonia, diarrhea – which causes dehydration – and infections in newborns, with malnutrition also posing a severe problem. As can be seen above, most countries with a high infant mortality rate are developing countries or emerging countries, most of which are located in Africa. Good health care and hygiene are crucial in reducing child mortality; among the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate are exclusively developed countries, whose inhabitants usually have access to clean water and comprehensive health care. Access to vaccinations, antibiotics and a balanced nutrition also help reducing child mortality in these regions. In some countries, infants are killed if they turn out to be of a certain gender. India, for example, is known as a country where a lot of girls are aborted or killed right after birth, as they are considered to be too expensive for poorer families, who traditionally have to pay a costly dowry on the girl’s wedding day. Interestingly, the global mortality rate among boys is higher than that for girls, which could be due to the fact that more male infants are actually born than female ones. Other theories include a stronger immune system in girls, or more premature births among boys.

The infant mortality rate in the United States, for children under the age of one (twelve months), was 60 deaths per thousand births in 1935. Approximately six percent of children born in 1935 did not survive past their first birthday. Over the course of the next 85 years, this number has dropped significantly, and the rate has reached its lowest point ever in the period between 2015 and 2020, at six deaths per thousand births. Figures have been below ten since the 1990s.

The child mortality rate in Canada, for children under the age of five, was 333 deaths per thousand births in the year 1830. This means that one third of all children born in 1830 did not make it to their fifth birthday. Child mortality remained above 25 percent for the remainder of the nineteenth century, before falling at a much faster rate throughout the 1900s. By the year 2020, Canada's child mortality rate is expected to be just five deaths per thousand births.

In 1900, the child mortality rate in Columbia was estimated to be approximately 417 deaths per thousand births, meaning that almost 42% of all children born in these years would not survive past their fifth birthday. This rate would remain largely unchanged until the end of the First World War, when a return of export markets and a booming coffee market would provide the economic capital needed for improvements in health and sanitation programs in Colombia, causing child mortality to nearly halve between 1915 and 1930. However, the Great Depression, and the subsequent loss of export markets in the Second World War, would cause child mortality to begin to rise in Colombia, as scaled-back government health programs would have trouble importing necessary medical supplies.

After peaking at almost 250 deaths per thousand births in 1945, however, child mortality would begin to decline once more, as mass vaccination programs, improvements in access to the country’s healthcare services, and continued modernization would see child mortality decline throughout the remainder of the 20th century, falling to just 27 deaths per thousand by 2000. As Colombia continues to modernize its health programs and improve access to nutrition in the country, child mortality has continued to fall, and it is estimated that over 98% of all children born today will survive past their fifth birthday.

The child mortality rate in Portugal, for children under the age of five, was 373 deaths per thousand births in 1890. Out of one thousand babies born in 1890, over 37 percent did not survive past their fifth birthday. Over the course of the next 135 years, this number has dropped drastically, falling to just three deaths per thousand births in the 2015 to 2020 period. The period with the largest increase in Portugal's child mortality rate was in the 1910s, as a result of the Spanish Flu pandemic that swept across the globe.