Standardized death rates for unintentional injuries in the age group 1–19 years - drowning and submersion

Data source
1. European health for all mortality database for age-specific and standardized rates (2)
2. Revised global burden of disease 2004 estimates (1).

Description of data
Cause-specific child mortality rates per 100 000 population for unintentional injuries, not related to road traffic injuries, by sex and by age group.
Deaths are reported by countries every year from national registers of births and deaths. The national population estimates used by WHO are those of the United Nations Population Division 2002 revision (15).

Method of calculating the indicator
Numerator: deaths stratified by age, sex, unintentional injuries (ICD-10 codes below or equivalent ICD-9 codes):
• drowning (ICD 9 BTL: E521; ICD 10: W65–W74)
• falls (ICD 9 BTL: E50; ICD 10: W00–W19)
• burns (ICD 9 BTL: E51; ICD 10: X00–X09)
• poisoning (ICD 9 BTL: E48; ICD 10: X40–X49).
The SDR is already calculated in the European health for all mortality database, using the direct method and standard European population structure. These rates were calculated by staff of the WHO Regional Office for Europe using the data on deaths by cause, age and sex and mid-year population by age and sex annually reported to WHO by Member States.

Geographical coverage
The European mortality database provides data for most Member States of the European Region. Delays in reporting, however, make the 2011 and 2012 datasets rather incomplete.

Period of coverage
The time series cover the period from 2004.

Frequency of update
Annually.

Data quality
These data should be interpreted with caution as there may be considerable differences in quality and completeness. Underreporting or deaths attributed to incorrect underlying causes in some countries lead to the size of the problem being underestimated.
The quality and completeness of the data reported are still matters of concern, and improvements appear particularly necessary with respect to non-fatal outcomes of injuries.