Homicide among young people in the countries of the Americas

Bibliographic Data

ID14968168
AuthorsAntonio Sanhueza (0000-0002-1857-3662, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., United States of America, corresponding author), Sonja Caffe (0000-0001-8116-0468, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., United States of America), Nelson Araneda (University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile), Patricia Soliz (0000-0001-5788-225X, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., United States of America), Oscar San Román-Orozco (Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., United States of America), Britta Baer (0000-0003-1082-0785, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., United States of America)
Year2023
Volume47
Pages1
Publication date2023-07-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRevista Panamericana de Salud Pública (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1020-4989 • E-ISSN: 1680-5348
PublisherPan American Health Organization (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.26633/rpsp.2023.108
PMID37489238
OpenAlexW4385230721
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited8

Objective. To examine the homicide trends among young people (10–24 years), adolescents (10–19 years), and young adults (20–24 years) in 33 countries in the Americas between 2000 and 2019, with a focus on inequalities between countries in the burden of homicides. Methods. An ecological study was performed using estimated deaths from 33 countries. Age-adjusted rates, percentage change (PC), average annual percentage change (AAPC), and relative risk (RR) were estimated; besides, analysis on social inequalities was performed. Results. In the Americas between 2000 and 2019, homicide has been the leading cause of death with 54 515 deaths on average each year and an age-adjusted rate of 23.6 per 100 000 among young people. The highest rate was found in the Andean subregion (41.1 per 100 000 young people), which also produced the highest decrease (PC = –37.1% and AAPC = –2.4%) in the study period. The risk of homicide in young men is 8.1 times the risk in young women, and the risk in young adults is 2.5 times the risk in adolescents. The three countries with highest risk of homicide for young people are Venezuela (relative risk [RR] = 35.1), El Salvador (RR = 28.1), and Colombia (RR = 26.7). The estimated excess mortality was 26.8 homicides per 100 000 in the poorest 20% of countries compared to the richest 20% of countries in the period 2000–2009, and it decreased to 13.9 in the period 2010–2019. Conclusions. The results of this study add to the knowledge of homicide among young people and can be used to inform policy and programming in countries. Given the great burden of homicide on young people in the region, it is critical that prevention opportunities are maximized, beginning early in life

Confidence interval · Environmental health · Geography · Homicide · Injury prevention · Poison control · Relative risk · Sociology · Young adult · Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes · Demography · Medicine · Public Health Policies and Education · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Gerontology