Dr Rafał Halik from Poland’s National Institute of Public Health PZH-PIB and Prof. Mariusz Duplaga from Jagiellonian University Medical College analysed deaths among children and teenagers caused by unintentional injuries between 2010 and 2024.
The death rate fell from 8.5 to 4.9 per 100,000 people, an average decline of 4.8 percent per year.
However, 6,812 children and teenagers died from such injuries over the study period, meaning accidents remain a significant threat.
The researchers identified a worrying trend. The decline in deaths from unintentional injuries slowed after 2015, while deaths from poisoning increased.
“Teenagers aged 15–19 remain the most vulnerable to accidents. Mortality rates were highest in this age group, so prevention efforts should focus primarily on older adolescents,” Dr Halik said.
Meanwhile, mortality from poisoning increased by an average of 6.3 percent annually among both boys and girls.
Halik said many poisoning cases involved experimentation with medicines and psychoactive substances. He also pointed to newer risks such as scooters, social-media challenges and disinformation promoting risky or aggressive behaviour.
He said the data point to phenomena linked to worsening mental health among young people, reflected in the rise in mortality from poisoning.
The researchers argue that traditional prevention measures may be becoming less effective as risks associated with modern lifestyles become more important. They say child safety efforts should also include mental health and addiction prevention.
They stress that protecting children and teenagers is a cross-sector challenge, requiring action beyond healthcare.
(sp)
Source: PAP