As of 2023, the third leading cause of death among teenagers aged 15 to 19 years in the United States was intentional self-harm or suicide, contributing to around 17 percent of deaths among this age group. The leading cause of death at that time was unintentional injuries, contributing to around 38.6 percent of deaths, while 20.7 percent of all deaths in this age group were due to assault or homicide. Cancer and heart disease, the overall leading causes of death in the United States, are also among the leading causes of death among U.S. teenagers. Adolescent suicide in the United States In 2021, around 22 percent of students in grades 9 to 12 reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. Female students were around twice as likely to report seriously considering suicide compared to male students. In 2023, New Mexico had the highest rate of suicides among U.S. teenagers, with around 28 deaths per 100,000 teenagers, followed by Idaho with a rate of 22.5 per 100,000. The states with the lowest death rates among adolescents are New Jersey and New York. Mental health treatment Suicidal thoughts are a clear symptom of mental health issues. Mental health issues are not rare among children and adolescents, and treatment for such issues has become increasingly accepted and accessible. In 2021, around 15 percent of boys and girls aged 5 to 17 years had received some form of mental health treatment in the past year. At that time, around 35 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 years in the United States who were receiving specialty mental health services were doing so because they had thought about killing themselves or had already tried to kill themselves.

In 2023, the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States aged 15 to 19 was accidents or unintentional injuries. At that time, there were 4,937 deaths among teens aged 15 to 19 years due to accidents. Homicide was the second leading cause of death among teens in this age group, with 2,648 deaths.

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

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.

United Kingdom UK: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data was reported at 323.000 Person in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 322.000 Person for 2018. United Kingdom UK: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 489.500 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 662.000 Person in 1990 and a record low of 320.000 Person in 2017. United Kingdom UK: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 10-14 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Germany DE: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data was reported at 923.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 942.000 Person for 2018. Germany DE: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 1,632.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,544.000 Person in 1990 and a record low of 923.000 Person in 2019. Germany DE: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 15-19 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Haiti HT: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data was reported at 1,089.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,113.000 Person for 2018. Haiti HT: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 1,579.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,946.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 1,089.000 Person in 2019. Haiti HT: Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Haiti – Table HT.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 10-14 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

The Basque Youth Observatory is an instrument of the Basque Government that allows to have a global and permanent vision of the situation and evolution of the youth world that allows to evaluate the impact of the actions carried out in the CAPV by the different administrations in the field of youth.The Basque Youth Observatory regularly publishes more than 100 statistical indicators that can be consulted in euskadi.eus, along with other research and reports. Statistics are provided in various formats (csv, excel).

Fiji FJ: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data was reported at 55.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 56.000 Person for 2018. Fiji FJ: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 86.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 103.000 Person in 2000 and a record low of 55.000 Person in 2019. Fiji FJ: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Fiji – Table FJ.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 15-19 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Bangladesh BD: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data was reported at 20,267.000 Person in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20,585.000 Person for 2018. Bangladesh BD: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 17,125.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32,825.000 Person in 1991 and a record low of 14,226.000 Person in 2001. Bangladesh BD: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 15-19 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Cameroon CM: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data was reported at 6,829.000 Person in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,717.000 Person for 2018. Cameroon CM: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 5,342.500 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,829.000 Person in 2019 and a record low of 3,263.000 Person in 1990. Cameroon CM: Number of Deaths Ages 15-19 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Cameroon – Table CM.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 15-19 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

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

Crude death rate from suicide and intentional self-harm per 100 000 people, by age group. Suicide registration methods vary between countries and over time. Figures do not include deaths from events of undetermined intent (part of which should be considered as suicides) and attempted suicides which did not result in death.

In 2023, the crude rate of firearm suicide deaths was *** per 100,000 among white U.S. children and adolescents. This statistic depicts the crude rate of firearm suicide deaths per 100,000 children and adolescents in the United States in 2023, by race.

Australia Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data was reported at 133.000 Person in 2019. This stayed constant from the previous number of 133.000 Person for 2018. Australia Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 165.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 246.000 Person in 1990 and a record low of 133.000 Person in 2019. Australia Number of Deaths Ages 10-14 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of adolescents ages 10-14 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

The map shows the latest available data for mortality up to the age of 15. In several countries, the rate has declined to about 0.3%, a mortality rate that is more than 100 times lower than in the past. This was achieved in just a few generations. Progress can be fast.

In the richest parts of the world, child deaths have become very rare, but differences across countries are high. Niger is the country with the highest rate, 15% of newborns die as children.

The fact that several countries show that it is possible for 99.7% of children to survive shows us what the world can aspire to. Global health has improved, and it is on us to make sure that this progress continues to bring the daily tragedy of child deaths to an end.

Our ancestors could have surely not imagined what is reality today. Let’s make it our goal to give children everywhere the chance to live a long and healthy life. The chart above also shows the dramatic progress that was recently achieved. Most children in the world still died at extremely high rates well into the 20th century. Even as recently as 1950 – a time that some readers might well remember – one in four children died globally.

More recently, during our lifetimes, the world has achieved an entirely unprecedented improvement. In a brief episode of human history, the global death rate of children declined from around 50% to 4%.

After millennia of suffering and failure, the progress against child mortality is, for me, one of the greatest achievements of humanity.

This is not an improvement that is only achieved by a few countries. The rate has declined in every single country in the world.

Rate: Homicide deaths per 100,000 persons aged 20-24

Definition: Deaths where homicide is indicated as the underlying cause of death. Homicide is defined as death resulting from the intentional use of force or power, threatened or actual, against another person, group, or community. ICD-10 Codes: X85-Y09, Y87.1 (homicide)

Data Source:

1) Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health

2) Population Estimates, State Data Center, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development

In 2022, the drug overdose death rate for Hispanic adolescents in the U.S. was 3.3 per 100,000 adolescents, highest across all races. In the same year, drug overdose deaths per 100,000 adolescents was 2.7 for white adolescents and 2.8 for Black adolescents. This statistic illustrates the drug overdose death rate among adolescents in the United States from 2019 to 2022, by race (per 100,000 adolescents).

This statistic presents the global death rates for the leading causes of death among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in 2015, per 100,000 population. At this time, road injuries were the leading cause of global deaths among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years with a death rate of *** per 100,000 population.

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.