Gun deaths lead cause of child mortality in U.S.
According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics deaths of kids due to gun violence rose to a record high of 4,752 in 2021
WASHINGTON – Gun deaths have become leading causes of deaths among kids in the U.S.
According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics deaths of kids due to gun violence rose to a record high of 4,752 in 2021.
The number of gun deaths among children has increased by nearly 42% between 2018 and 2021.
Dr. Chethan Sathya, a pediatric trauma surgeon at Northwell Health in New York and the study’s lead author, told media outlets that gun-related mortality among children is one of chief public health crises in this country.
“The most likely reason that your child will die in this country is at the hands of a firearm,” said Sathya.
“That’s not acceptable.”
Black children accounted for 67.3% of firearm homicides, while white children accounted for 78.4% of firearm suicides.
The study found that increased firearm mortality rates are correlated with higher poverty levels and lower socioeconomic status.
There were “substantial” spikes in firearm purchases during the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in roughly 30 million children living in households with firearms.
Researchers had expected to see a decrease in gun-related deaths among children in 202.
But the opposite happened, with pediatric gun deaths rising by close to 9%.
The authors call for action to reduce gun violence, including universal background checks, safe storage laws, and investments in mental health services.
“In 2021, among children who died by firearms, 84.8% were male, 49.9% were Black, 82.6% were aged 15 to 19 years, and 64.3% died by homicide,” the study notes. “Black children accounted for 67.3% of firearm homicides, with a death rate increase of 1.8% from 2020 to 2021. White children accounted for 78.4% of firearm suicides,” the authors said.
The authors added that “increased firearm mortality rates are correlated with higher poverty levels and lower socioeconomic status, which may contribute to unequal racial, ethnic, and state distributions.”
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