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Maternal & Child Health > Needs Assessment > Adolescent Mortality Fact Sheet Adolescent Mortality Fact Sheet

Healthy People 2010 Goal: To reduce the mortality rate in young adults, ages 15-24 years to no more than 39.8 per 100,000 population.

Causes: High risk behaviors leading to intentional injuries, unintentional injuries and diseases.

Prevalence:

In 2002, for the adolescents of 15 through 24 years age group in Indiana,

  • The overall, white and black age specific mortality rates for all causes were 83.20, 77.57 and 144.17 per 100.000 population of that age group respectively. Males, especially black males have high mortality rates than females in this age group.
  • Unintentional injury accounted for 43.9% of the lives lost.
  • The age specific mortality rate for accidents was 36.52 per 100,000 population of 15 through 24 years age group.
  • Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of deaths. In 2002, the motor vehicle accidents accounted for 76% of all the deaths due to accidents and accounted for 33.5 % of the total deaths in this age group.
  • Intentional injury (homicide, suicide and events of undetermined intent) accounted for 28% of the total deaths.
  • Homicide was the second most common cause of death with an age specific death rate of 12.06 per 100,000 population in this age group (accounting for 14.5% of the total deaths).
  • Among black youths, homicide accounted for more deaths than all other causes combined. Black male age specific homicide death rate was 147.65 per 100,000 accounting for 64.2% of the total black male deaths where as black female homicide deaths accounted for 44% of the total black female deaths recorded during the same period.
  • Suicide was also a significant cause of death. The age specific death rate was 10.8 per 100,000 population accounting for 13% of the total deaths in this age group.

Trends towards HP 2010 Goals:

Between 1999 and 2002,

  • The overall age specific mortality rate remained the same while the accidents, homicide and suicide age specific mortality rates slightly decreased. The black male age specific homicide rates slightly decreased while the black female homicide deaths slightly increased.
  • Deaths due to motor vehicle accidents increased by 9.6% .
  • Overall mortality rate remained high and it is unlikely to reach Healthy People 2010 goal.

Adolescent Mortality Chart

Source: Indiana State Department of Health