Black Children Are Twice as Likely to Die of Injuries as All Other New York City Kids: Report

Black children in New York die from injuries at double the rate of other city kids–although youngsters here are safer than in many other cities.

Those are the findings of a Health Department study of child mortality that looked at the fatal injuries of 470 kids up to age 12 between 2001 and 2009.

The report says slightly more than six of every 100,000 black children die of injuries in the city, while the rate for white, Hispanic and Asian kids is closer to three.

Health Commissioner Thomas Farley says the disparity may be rooted in circumstance: black children are more likely to live in low-income neighborhoods with housing hazards such as missing window guards.

Black and Hispanic children also have high rates of homicide or suicide, which are included with injury deaths.

Overall, fewer city kids are dying from injuries compared with the national average–mostly because there are fewer drivers and fewer car accidents.

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