Why are More U.S. Kids Dying?

Alarming Rise in Mortality Rates of Children and Adolescents

Was Live Friday, Apr 21, 2023 | 11 am PT

Guest Speakers:

• Steven H. Woolf, MD, MPH, a Professor of Family Medicine and Population Health at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
• Kim Parker, Director of Social and Demographic Trends at PEW Research Center
• Mayra Alvarez, President at The Children’s Partnership Research Center
• Kelly Sampson, Senior Counsel and Director of Racial Justice for Brady United

Related Coverage

• Children Are Dying at Rates Not Seen in 100 Years

Event Overview

Two recent reports point to a worrying trend: children and adolescents have been dying at increasing rates in the U.S. over the last few years, and COVID has little to do with it. Between 2019 and 2021, all-cause child mortality rose by 10.7% one year and 8.3% the following, the largest increase in decades. Among the main causes: suicide, homicide, drug overdoses and car accidents.

Guns are an important protagonist in a young person’s risk of dying. Gun deaths among U.S. children rose 50% in two years, and so far, this year, there have been 42 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 17 deaths and 32 injuries nationwide. Accordingly, life expectancy in this country has taken a downturn.

Speakers present the latest research and discuss the main reasons for this increase as well as the potential policies that could help address it.

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