CHILD MORTALITY

In 2004, 11,619 children between the ages of 1 and 14 years died of various causes; this was 222 fewer than the previous year. The overall death rate among 1- to 4-year-olds was 29.9 per 100,000, and the rate among 5- to 14-year-olds was 16.8 per 100,000. The leading cause of death among the younger age group continues to be unintentional injury, which accounted for 34.3 percent of all deaths in this age group in 2004. The next most common cause of death was congenital malformations (birth defects), followed by malignant neoplasms (cancer), homicide, and major cardiovascular diseases. Unintentional injury was also the leading cause of death among older children, accounting for 39.0 percent of deaths among 5- to 14-year-olds. This was followed by malignant neoplasms, congenital malformations, homicide, major cardiovascular diseases, and suicide.

> Horizontal Bar Chart: Leading Causes of Death Among Children Aged 1-14: 2004