Cuts and deprivation means children more likely to die in Britain than other European countries.
Children in the UK are more deprived and are at higher risk of death than those in other Western European countries, says a report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. The study, Why Children Die, found 2,000 additional children die each year – five a day – compared with Sweden, the best performing country.
The report said, “If we compare ourselves with the country with the lowest mortality for children and young people, Sweden (after controlling for population size among other variables), we find that in the UK every day five children under the age of 14 die who would not die in Sweden.”
Children in Britain are dying due to poor health services, smoking mothers and traffic accidents, and the numbers disproportionately affect the most deprived groups. Dr. Ingrid Wolfe, lead author of the report, and other child health experts say many deaths could be prevented by a combination of changes in society, political engagement and improved training for children’s healthcare professionals.
Dr. Wolfe said, “Social and economic inequalities are matters of life and death for children. Countries that spend more on social protection have lower child mortality rates.
“The messages are stark and crucial. Poverty kills children. Social protection is life-saving medicine for the population.”
In 2012 5,300 children died in the UK before the age of 19, and 3,000 of these died before their first birthday. The predominate cause of death for babies less than a year old was premature birth and low birth weight which are influenced by the mother’s age and whether she smoked during pregnancy.
After their first year, injuries are the most frequent cause of death for children, with unintentional injuries being the most common. The riskiest age for deaths among young people after infancy is 15-19 years of age. And despite improvements in healthcare and numerous health and safety campaigns the death rate for late adolescents has barely fallen in the last 40 years.
Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people, with drugs or alcohol often a factor. The report calls on the government to raise the cost of alcohol, and make it harder for teenagers to obtain it. Gaps in child mental health services were also highlighted, with concerns spending cuts could exacerbate the situation.
“We know there are things that all healthcare professionals can be doing better to help reduce avoidable child deaths – whether that’s early detection of problems, safe prescribing or using effective tools such as asthma plans to manage conditions, said Dr Hilary Cass, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.