Comparing death rates for young people in the rich world



ADOLESCENCE can be tedious all over the world. But in some countries it is dangerous too. Even within the rich world mortality rates for young people vary widely, as do the factors explaining these rates, according to data collected by George Patton of the University of Melbourne for an article published in the Lancet on April 25th. In Greece, suicides are rare but car accidents are common. In Finland it is the other way round. America stands out for having the highest mortality rate. It has a particularly high rate of traffic deaths, despite laws that ban drinking until 21. Where America is truly exceptional, however, is in its violence. At 8.9 per 100,000 population, the rate of violent death (such as from homicide or accidental shooting) is 18 times higher than in Britain. For young American men the risk is much higher. The death rate from homicide for 20-24 year olds is a staggering 28 per 100,000 population.