[Accident-related mortality in 5- to 9-year-old children].

BACKGROUND

According to the WHO, insufficient attention is devoted to the problem of accident while more than one half of the death in children of 1 to 14 years of age in industrialized countries are caused by accidents.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Nationwide statistical data from the Czech Republic have been evaluated and compared with those of selected European countries and the USA. In the years 1991-1993 average of 151 children died in the Czech Republic in the age group of 5- to 9-year olds. In 68 of them the cause of death was an injury that in almost half of the cases was due to a traffic accident. The trend in the mortality of children of the same age was assessed comparing the averages for 1950-1952 and 1991-1993. The overall mortality decreased by 68% while the greatest decline was in non-accident causes (75%). Mortality due to accidents decreased by 55% and that caused by motor vehicles by only 19%. The lowest mortality due to accidents was found in Sweden.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that mortality due to accidents and poisonings in younger school children in the Czech Republic is higher than, e.g. in Austria and Sweden. In order to be able to elaborate a draft of appropriate and effective preventive measures, it is necessary to obtain further information on accidents and poisonings in children that have not ended fatally.