Trends in external causes of child and adolescent mortality in Poland, 1999–2012

OBJECTIVES: To examine the pattern and trend of deaths due to external causes among Polish children and adolescents in 1999–2012, and to compare trends in Poland’s neighboring countries. METHODS: Death records were obtained from the Central Statistical Office of Poland. External causes mortality rates (MR) with 95 % confidence interval were calculated. The annual percentage change of MR was examined using linear regression. To compare MR with Belarus, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Germany, data from the European Mortality Database were used. RESULTS: MR were the highest in the age 15–19 years (33.7/100,000) and among boys (22.7/100,000). Unintentional injuries including transport accidents, drowning, and suicides (especially in children over 10 years old), were the main cause of death in the analyzed groups. Between 1999 and 2012 annual MR for unintentional injuries declined substantially. MR due to injuries and poisoning in Poland were higher compared with Czech Republic and Germany and lower in comparison with Belarus and Ukraine. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths due to unintentional injuries are still the leading cause of death among Polish children and adolescents. There are differences in death rates between Poland and neighboring countries.