Injury Fatality Trends in US Urban and Rural Children and Adolescents

Strategic Insights -

Research published in the October 20, 2025, edition of the Mental Health Weekly Digest analyzed injury fatality rates among children and adolescents in the United States. The study, conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, examined national trends in injury fatality rates by intent, including unintentional, suicide, homicide/legal intervention, and undetermined causes. The research used data from the 2014 to 2023 National Vital Statistics System's Multiple Cause of Death datafile for children and adolescents aged 0-19. The study found significant increases in injury death rates across all intents in both urban and rural areas, with homicide/legal intervention death rates rising by 5.9% per year on average in urban areas and by 6.6% per year on average in rural areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed injury fatality rates among children and adolescents in the United States from 2014 to 2023.
  • The research used data from the National Vital Statistics System's Multiple Cause of Death datafile for children and adolescents aged 0-19.
  • Approximately 60% of the injury deaths were attributed to motor vehicle traffic, firearm, and drug poisoning in both urban and rural areas.
  • Injury death rates across all intents increased by 3.0% per year on average in urban areas and by 1.7% per year on average in rural areas.
  • In urban areas, homicide/legal intervention death rates increased significantly by 5.9% per year on average, followed by undetermined (5.5% per year), unintentional (2.5% per year), and suicide (1.5% per year) from 2014 to 2023.
  • In rural areas, homicide/legal intervention death rates increased significantly by 6.6% per year on average during the same period.
  • According to the research, there were 145,125 deaths among US children and adolescents due to injuries from 2014 to 2023.
  • The study concluded that injury death rates in urban and rural areas demonstrate patterns that require tailored approaches to injury prevention.
  • Additional research may be conducted to address the findings of this study, which highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies in both urban and rural areas.

Statistics:

  • 145,125 deaths among US children and adolescents due to injuries from 2014 to 2023.
  • Approximately 60% of the injury deaths were attributed to motor vehicle traffic, firearm, and drug poisoning in both urban and rural areas.
  • Injury death rates across all intents increased by 3.0% per year on average in urban areas and by 1.7% per year on average in rural areas.
  • Homicide/legal intervention death rates increased by 5.9% per year on average in urban areas and by 6.6% per year on average in rural areas from 2014 to 2023.
  • Unintentional death rates increased by 2.5% per year on average in urban areas and by 1.3% per year on average in rural areas during the same period.
  • Suicide death rates increased by 1.5% per year on average in urban areas and by 1.1% per year on average in rural areas from 2014 to 2023.

Sources:

  • Mental Health Weekly Digest, October 20, 2025, p 743.
  • Injury Prevention, "Injury fatality trends in US urban and rural children and adolescents by intent type, 2014-2023," 2025.
  • Bmj Publishing Group, British Med Assoc House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JR, England.
  • Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Beltsville, Maryland, United States.
  • National Vital Statistics System, Multiple Cause of Death datafile.