Reducing the Teen Death Rate
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
July 2009
Summary
Issue Overview
Life continues to hold considerable risk for adolescents in the United States. In 2006, the teen death rate stood at 64 deaths per 100,000 teens (13,739 teens). Although it has declined by 4 percent since 2000, the rate of teen death in our country remains substantially higher than in many peer nations, based largely on higher rates for the three most prevalent causes of death among adolescents and young adults: motor vehicle accidents, homicide and suicide.
Promising Strategies
Six strategies are essential for any plan designed to further reduce the teen death rate.
- Focus intensively on motor vehicle safety. Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of fatalities among American teens, accounting for more than one-third of the deaths among youth aged 16 to 19. The risk of being in a car crash is particularly high for teens during the first year in which they are eligible to drive. Research points to the wisdom of a comprehensive approach to teen driver safety.
- Support policies and programs aimed at preventing teen violence. Homicide remains the second leading cause of teen death. Policymakers can support laws that make guns more difficult for teens to acquire or use, keep guns and non-students out of schools, support violence prevention/conflict resolution efforts, educate adults about risk factors for teen violence, and expand access to mental health services.
- Address teen suicide by bolstering the capacity of families and communities to recognize and treat teens in emotional distress. As of 2006, suicide was the third leading cause of death for teens between the ages of 15 and 19. Male teens ages 15 to 19 were approximately four times as likely as their female counterpart to commit suicide.
- Support the adults who play significant roles in the lives of teens. Parents remain a powerful influence as children become teens, and can play a critical role in fostering healthy development and preventing risky behaviors. Parents need chances to bolster their advocacy skills, and many need greater access to family mental health services.
- Strengthen the capacity of families and communities to support teens’ healthy development. The teen years are among the most critical points in the life cycle for ensuring access to prevention, early intervention and treatment services.
- Strengthen understanding of the teen years. Bringing together insights from neuroscience, developmental psychology, social policy, and other fields can provide insight into risk and resiliency in adolescence, and can inform the design of effective early intervention and prevention strategies.
To read the whole indicator brief go to Reducing the Teen Death Rate