Nationwide study of injury-related deaths among children aged 1-4 years in China, 2000-2008.

AIMS

The aims of this study are to investigate injury mortality in children aged 1-4 years, to analyse prevalent mortality rates of childhood injury and to identify the leading causes of child injury deaths in China from 2000 to 2008.

METHODS

The data were obtained from a nationwide mortality surveillance system for children under 5 years of age in China. The injury mortality rates of children aged 1-4 years were compared between rural and urban areas, boys and girls and among five major injury types between 2000 and 2008.

RESULTS

During the 9-year study period, the injury mortality rates for children aged 1-4 years declined significantly by an average of 5.4% each year (P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.6-7.0%) overall in China, with a decrease of 4.8% (P < 0.001; 95% CI: 2.5-7.1%) and 9.9% (P < 0.001; 95% CI: 4.9-14.7%) in rural and urban areas, respectively. The proportion of injury-related deaths to total mortality rates dropped from 32.9% in 2000 to 18.8% in 2008 in urban areas but increased from 45.6% to 56.9% in rural areas. The injury mortality rates in both boys and girls decreased significantly by an average of 5.4% each year (P < 0.001; 95% CI: 2.6-8.0%) and 6.1% (P < 0.001; 95% CI: 2.7-9.4%), respectively. Drowning and traffic accidents were the most prevalent causes of injury-related deaths in children aged 1-4 years.

CONCLUSION

Childhood injury is still the leading cause of death in children aged 1-4 years in China. Drowning and traffic accidents were the most prevalent causes of childhood deaths in this study. Boys living in rural areas are at a higher risk and therefore require increased attention to help control and prevent childhood injury.