Road Traffic Injuries, Lung Infections, Suicide Top Causes of Death Among Adolescents: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified road traffic injuries, lower respiratory infections, and suicide as the most common causes of death among adolescents worldwide.

In a news release issued Wednesday, WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Flavia Bustreo disclosed that 115,302 teenagers succumbed to road traffic injuries in 2015, while lower respiratory infections and self-harm accounted for 72,655 and 67,149 deaths, respectively.

“Self-harm largely occurs among older adolescents, and, globally, it is the second leading cause of death for older adolescent girls (15–19 year-olds),” Bustreo said, adding that it is the leading or second cause of adolescent death in Europe and Southeast Asia.

Among boys in the same age group, road injuries were the number one cause of adolescent death with 88,590, followed by interpersonal violence with 42,277.

“Most young people killed in road crashes are vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists,” she said.

On the other hand, the most common causes of death for girls are lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, with 36,637, followed by self-harm with 32,499.

Records show that more than 3,000 adolescents die every day, or a total of 1.2 million deaths a year, with more than two-thirds of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Southeast Asia.

With most causes of deaths seen as preventable, WHO member-states are being urged to improve their respective health systems aimed at adolescents.

Bustreo noted that many behaviors that impact health later in life, such as physical inactivity, poor diet, and risky sexual behaviors, begin during adolescent years.

“Relatively small investments focused on adolescents now will not only result in healthy and empowered adults, who thrive and contribute positively to their communities, but it will also result in healthier future generations, yielding enormous returns,” said Bustreo.

Some of the suggested interventions are comprehensive sexuality education in schools; higher age limits for alcohol consumption; mandating seat-belts and helmets through laws; reducing access to and misuse of firearms; reducing indoor air pollution through cleaner cooking fuels; and increasing access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. (LSJ/PNA)