Fatal Injures To U.s. Infants, 1983-1991

Child Health And Human Development

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Abstract

The National Center for Health Statistics linked infant birth and death files were analyzed to assess and compare demographic, socioeconomic and prenatal risk factors associated with deaths due to injuries, SIDS and deaths coded as "unknown cause." Data were from the 1983-1991 and 1995-1996 birth cohorts, which included 53,470 deaths from SIDS, 9071 unintentional injury deaths, 3473 intentional deaths or deaths of undetermined intent, and 8097 deaths of unknown cause. For deaths from unknown cause, rates were consistently high among the same risk groups that have been shown to be at increased risk for SIDS, unintentional injury, and homicide. Findings indicate that deaths coded as unknown cause are likely to represent a mixture of causes of unexpected death. Findings were published in Pediatrics.