Widening Racial Disparities Underlie Rise in Child Deaths in the U.S.

Researchers have discovered a worrying trend in child mortality rates in the United States. A recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association reveals growing disparities across racial and ethnic groups. Alarmingly, Black and Native American youths ages 1 to 19 have significantly higher death rates than white youths, mainly due to injuries such as car accidents, homicides, and suicides. Experts emphasize that these deaths are preventable if given adequate priority. The study also found that the mortality rates for Black, Native American, and Hispanic children began increasing earlier than others, with the disparities widening since 2013.