Fatal injuries among American Indian and Alaska Native infants,1992-1994.

Injuries are the leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) between the ages of 1 and 44. The AI/ANs suffer from injury mortality rates over three times greater than the majority population. Although injuries are a leading cause of death and disability among the AI/AN population, few studies have investigated the role of injuries among AI/AN infants. The objectives of this study, therefore, are to describe the recent trends in infant mortality among AI/ANs and to explore the role of injury as a cause of infant death in this group. To meet these objectives, this study analyzes vital event data according to the infant's age in months and the reported cause of death. During 1992-1994 there were 872 infant deaths among AI/ANs, 64 of which are attributed to injury. Homicide, the leading cause of fatal injury among AI/AN infants, accounted for 43 percent of all infant deaths, and occurred at a rate more than twice that experienced by the U.S. All Races population. Injuries become the second leading cause of death by the fifth month of life and the leading cause of death by the tenth month of life. Further, by the fifth month of life the composition of injuries diversifies, as falls, fire/burns, and drowning become leading cause of injury mortality. The data demonstrated that this method of analyzing infant death is a worthwhile endeavor and should be considered in future investigations of infant mortality.