Thursday, July 02, 2009
Report examines child injury deaths in NYC
More than a quarter of all child deaths in New York City are attributable to injuries, according to a new report (.pdf file) from the New York City Health Department.
Heath Department officials analyzed the death records of New York children between 2001 and 2007. They found that of the 1,365 child deaths recorded during that time frame, 28 percent were caused by injury – two-thirds of which were unintentional.
Motor vehicles were responsible for 43 percent of the unintentional injury deaths, but 55 percent occurred in the home. Slightly more than half of the unintentional injury deaths in the home were attributable to fire or scald burns. Other common causes included falling or being struck by a falling object, asphyxia, drowning and poisoning.
Data indicated that unintentional injury deaths were more prevalent in low-income neighborhoods.
The department issued recommendations for preventing injuries to children in the home, including legislation to protect children from unsafe temperatures for tap water, novelty lighters, furniture tip-overs, improper gun storage and pool drowning.